Myrddin Emrys Returns
by General Kenobi SIYE
Summary: Souls don't always live just once. They can return, typically in a time of crisis, if they are deemed worthy. This is about two such souls. Separated by houses. Will they find each other again? Will they even know? One Gryffindor, one Slytherin.
1. Preface

A/N. I do not own Harry Potter. Caledonia is the name once given to Scotland by the Roman Empire.

** Preface**

512 A.D.

Wales. (Formerly Britannia Secunda)

Just after sunrise.

In a remote Welsh glen, stands a young couple. A man with long raven hair and piercing emerald eyes stands on the bank as his young bride of neigh one year slowly and lovingly wraps her husband's robes over his shoulders. The young woman has hair the colour of sun and honey, with eyes of the deepest blue. Blue that rivals the beauty of former Caledonia's deepest lakes on the clearest days. Her name, lost to time, is Adien Caron Emrys.

They were two souls whom, by chance in the darkest of times, had been brought together. The young woman, whose father was a nobleman, had been betrothed to the man she now calls her husband. Her husband was known as Myrddin Emrys, Merlin. At 25 years of age he was ten years her senior. They had been wed less than one year before. He had waited until she found herself ready to consummate their marriage.

He had waited, until she had fallen in love with him. His honour would not allow otherwise. Neither would his honour allow him to refuse his Lord's offer. He had won several battles against early Anglo-Saxon incursions in defense of the land he had called home since his early teens. As a reward for his bravery, he was offered the young woman he now calls his wife. This marriage was kept secret. Merlin knew his power would one day make him a target for the most dangerous dark witches or wizards. He had foreseen the coming of Morgana, and several other lesser wizards.

There are many legends surrounding the man known as Merlin. Most are wrong, but a few have a bit of truth to them. A supposed love affair with Morgana before she turned to the dark arts was one rumor that was begun by his wife at the behest of Merlin himself.

Rumors abound for centuries. How he died had many such legends surrounding it. Some say he died peacefully in bed. Others say he was poisoned by Morgana. There was some truth in the latter.

The truth that would be long forgotten was that Merlin would one day die soon after defeating Morgana in a devastating duel that laid waste to the surrounding lands. Morgana managed to stab Merlin with a poisoned dagger before smeared her body against a great glacial boulder. He would quickly succumb to the toxin on the blade. He knew he would one day die at the age of fifty-four. A very short life for a wizard, but one lived well, and honorably.

What is unknown about he and his wife, is that they were both what would one day be called "Muggleborn." Adien became his apprentice after they wed, and he taught her everything he knew. They were a very powerful pair. Their magic was unlike any other witch or wizard, neither required incantations or even wands or staffs. They used them for better focus, and Merlin had a sort of penchant for the dramatic. Though they did create many new spells and new magic's for the common witch and wizard, they "did not need such silliness," as Merlin told his wife at the beginning of her apprenticeship. Their connection to magic was almost primal barely contained tempests of the most potentially dangerous kind.

They had only one child. A son, whose line, would one day give birth to a man named Godric Gryffindor. He was the greatest and by far the most powerful of the four founders of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. The Emrys line would almost be ended one October night in the year Nineteen Hundred and eighty-one.

One thing that is not known by many is that when a soul is born unto the mortal plain, it sometimes does not life only once. The greatest potential is never wasted on only one life. Though said souls never remember anything of their previous lives except on the most subconscious levels. They are what Muggles call "Old Souls" and their sometimes almost super natural perceptiveness is called a "Sixth Sense." They are people wise and mature beyond their years.

The soul once known as Merlin would be reborn after over thirteen hundred years as Harry Potter. He would soon find his long lost love, for she had been near the entire time. He just didn't know it yet.

Note: This is a bit of back history on Merlin and his soul. Blah blah blah. A story with a twist I think. Yes this will be a Harry P/ Daphne G story. Just working out where to start it, maybe second year? Let me know what you all think, and if I should continue.

Note 2 (12/14/2010) Big thanks to potterfanchuck for beta reading my chapters. I will be re-posting the new content as I receive them. I did notice very bad errors when I went back to read over my story on FFN. It's easier for me to spot those mistakes there than it is on my word processor. I'm hoping you will all enjoy my story a whole lot more once the corrections have been made.


	2. Rogue Bludger

A/N: I don't own blah blah blah…..

**Chapter One: The Rogue Bludger**…

Harry woke early on Saturday morning, and lay in for a while thinking about the coming match. He was nervous, mainly at the thought of what Wood would say is Gryffindor lost, but also at the idea of facing a team mounted on the fastest brooms gold can buy. He'd never wanted to beat the Slytherin shits into the ground so badly. After half an hour of lying there with his mind churning out ideas, he got up, dressed, and went down to breakfast early where he found the rest of the Gryffindor team huddled together at the long empty table. Every one of them wound up tighter than a coiled spring and not speaking much.

Sitting with his team mates, Harry began to serve himself a light breakfast. Glancing over at the Slytherin table, he spotted a few of the numb-nuts sniggering in his direction, looking rather smug. 'Idiots' he thought to himself. Looking up and down the Snake's table, he spotted one girl staring intently at him. As he made eye contact, she quickly looked away and resumed eating her breakfast.

He'd been in classes with her before. DADA, Potions, and Transfiguration this year. 'Greengrass?' He asked himself. He wasn't quite sure. It wasn't the first time he'd found himself looking in her direction or her looking at him. Since the sorting, there had been a… sort of whisper in the back of his mind… He wasn't sure what it meant.

Things like that had happened to him before. Last year, when the troll had cornered Hermione in the girl's lavatory, he'd managed to, unfortunately, kill the stupid troll. Somehow he only had to think of what he wanted his magic to do and it responded in kind. He'd thought to himself as he confronted the toll, "hit it hard" and great balls of white energy erupted from his wand nearly knocking him off his feet. He was forced to hold on to his wand with both hands, and blast after blast slammed into the hapless troll. The final blow crushed the troll's skull, but did not kill it. Falling forward into the wall collapsing its brain case the rest of the way, did. He was exhausted afterward, and felt more than a little guilty about killing the dumb animal. He hadn't meant to…

As eleven o'clock approached, the entire school started to make it's way down to the Quidditch stadium. It was a muggy day with a hint of thunder in the air. Ron and Hermione came hurrying over to wish him luck, Hermione much more enthusiastically than Ron. Harry had noticed that his best mate had begun distancing himself ever since Mrs. Norris had been petrified. The git! Harry was no fool. Ever since he was young, he has always been able to 'sense' others emotions, and could almost guess the outcome of certain events… It was not like being a seer or anything just his intuition seemed to be right more than wrong.

He entered the locker rooms with the rest of the team after one final hug from Hermione. The team pulled on their scarlet Gryffindor robes, and then sat down for Wood's usual, long winded, pre-match pep talk.

"Slytherin has better brooms than us," he began. "No point denying it. But we've got better people on our brooms. We've trained harder than they have, we've been flying in all weathers-" ("Too true," muttered George Weasley. "I haven't been properly dry since August") "- and we're going to make them rue the day they let that little slime, Malfoy, buy his way onto their team."

Chest heaving with emotion, Wood turned to Harry.

"It'll be down to you, Harry, to show them that a seeker has to have more than just a rich father. Get that snitch before Malfoy or die trying Harry, because we've got to win today, we've got to."

"So not pressure Harry." said Fred, winking at him.

As they walked onto the field, the roar of noise greeted them; mainly cheers, because Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff were anxious to see Slytherin beaten, but most of the Slytherins in the crowd made their boos and hisses heard, too.

Most save for three, Daphne Greengrass, Tracey Davis, and Blaise Zabini. Tracey because she didn't care much for Quidditch to begin with. She only came because Daphne felt as though she had to for some strange reason. Blaise came because his two best friends, afore mention Slytherin girls, decided to come, so that have left him with nothing to do. He seldom went to Slytherin's matches, mostly because the entire team consisted of pure-blood bigoted idiots. His favourite team was Ravenclaw.

Daphne Greengrass sat in the Slytherin stands awaiting the match. She usually went to a Slytherin match when they played Gryffindor. She would occasionally attend the odd Gryffindor match alone. Few Slytherins ever did, mostly in the hopes that the Lions would lose. She didn't know what seemed to compel her to do so, only that it felt…..right somehow.

She had proven herself to be an exceptionally powerful pureblood witch last year, and was actually first in her year ahead of Hermione Granger. Daphne usually threw herself into her studies, but somehow, she never seemed to need an incantation to make a spell work, only to think about what she wanted to happen, and her magic made it so. She still worked very hard in the theoretical portions of her classes, but that was only to keep up her grades.

Then there was Harry Potter. She could not figure out what it was about him that seemed to always draw her eyes to him whenever he was around. He seemed almost, familiar in some way. It was impossible because they'd never spoken a word to each other, but there was something there. She couldn't for the life of her figure it out…

"Training for the ballet, Potter?" yelled Malfoy as Harry was forced into some stupid kind of twirl in midair to dodge the Bludger. As he fled, the Bludger a few feet behind, he glared at the pompous little git in hatred, he saw it- the Golden Snitch! It was hovering a few inches above Malfoy's left ear! The little prick was so busy laughing at him that he hadn't seen it.

For an agonizing moment, Harry hung in midair, not daring to speed toward Malfoy in case he looked up and saw the Snitch.

WHAM!

He had stayed still a second too long. The Bludger had hit him at last, smashed into his elbow, and Harry felt his arm break. Dazed by the searing pain in his arm, he slid sideways on his rain-drenched broom. Through the haze of rain and pain he dived for the shimmering, sneering face below him and saw his eyes widen with fear Malfoy thought he was attacking him.

Harry took him remaining hand off the broom and made a wild snatch; he felt his fingers close on the cold Snitch, but was now only gripping the broom with his legs, and there was a yell from the crowd as he headed straight for the ground.

With a splattering thud, he hit the mud and rolled off his broom. He focused on the Snitch clutched in his good hand.

"Aha" he said vaguely. "We've won."

And darkness claimed him.

x x x x x x x x x

"Stupid idiot poofter." Harry grumbled later that evening as he lay in the hospital wing. He didn't know if he was referring to Lockhart, or Malfoy, maybe both. The git Lockhart had vanished all the bones in his arm. "Stupid Wanker." He wasn't feeling very charitable in his thoughts, as he felt the Skelegrow he'd been given work on his arm. And it hurt, a lot.

Hermione had just left to finish her homework back in the tower, so he was alone now, an hour before curfew. Ron hadn't even come to see him after the match.

Leaning back to look up at the ceiling, he heard the doors to the hospital wing open. Looking over toward the front, he was surprised to see Daphne Greengrass entering, rubbing her forehead. She stopped suddenly as caught sight of him. Their eyes locked, and she was unconsciously drawn to him, again. Slowly she made her way to his bedside.

"Great job in showing that little ponce up today, Potter, I'm Daphne Greengrass." She introduced herself in a slightly cool voice.

This caught Harry off guard. It took him a moment to respond.

"Erm, thank you, I'm Harry." he replied softly. "I never thought I'd get a compliment from a Slytherin."

Daphne chuckled a little at his reply, cool air about her dissolving quickly.

"Well, I'm just glad you showed that little punk what's what. Too bad that other idiot vanished your bones. I'd plan retaliation if I were you." She said.

"Really? You mean you're not like most of the other girls who drool over that troll in expensive clothing?" Harry asked.

"Oh Merlin no!" she laughed. "He does have an incredible set of teeth on him. He reminds me of an American muggle actor named Gary Busey."

"But aren't you a pureblood?" he asked. "How do you know about muggle actors?"

"I'll have you know Mr. Potter that not all of us purebloods are close minded inbred idiots. I happen to find many muggle motion pictures and music very entertaining." she replied in mock haughtiness.

"Right, sorry." Harry smiled sheepishly. "It just took me by surprise is all."

"Well don't let it happen again."

"What are you doing here anyway? Do you need to see Dungeon Mistress Pomfrey, or is this a social visit?" he laughed lightly to himself.

"No, I needed a headache potion actually. Malfoy tried to get fresh with me, so I gave him a head butt as he leaned in to try and kiss me." she finished with a shudder.

"I don't have a bruise on my forehead do I?" she asked him while lifting her hair out of face.

"No, no bruise. There is a small red spot, but I doubt there is going to be anything more than that. I know a lot about bruising." Harry's eyes went a little wide in horror as he finished the sentence. Daphne noticed and made a mental note.

"I can imagine with Quidditch and all." she wasn't about to embarrass him in any way, so she gave him an easy out.

"Yeah, Quidditch, Wood is a maniac." he grinned slightly.

"Well, I don't think I'm in need of that potion anymore, and it's almost curfew so I'll see you later." she said as she stood to make her way out of the hospital wing. With a small smile she said "Goodnight, Potter...Harry."

"Goodnight Daphne." He said and she was gone.

x x x x x x x x x x

Note: Chapter Beta'd.


	3. The Dueling Club

**Chapter 2 - The Dueling Club**

Harry woke Sunday morning to the blazing winter sunlight shining in his face. 'Great' he thought to himself somewhat dejectedly.

'Colin was attacked and I'm still here in this dungeon of terrors. Uh oh… Speaking of the dungeon here comes the dungeon mistress now.'

Seeing he was awake, Madam Pomfrey came bustling over with a breakfast tray, and began testing his fingers, making sure they had full movement.

"All in order." she said as he clumsily fed himself left handed. He thought that more breakfast ended up on his pajamas than in his mouth.

"When you've finished eating, you may leave."

Harry dressed quickly, all the while muttering of white haired dungeon keepers, and idiot house elves. Dobby had been by just before Colin was brought in. It was the little wanker whom had broken his arm with a Bludger, supposedly so that Harry would want to leave school. 'Stupid little wanker' he thought to himself viciously. Oh yes, Harry Potter was irritated. Both at the fact that he'd nearly gotten his head crushed by a rogue Bludger, and that he hadn't been able to do anything about the attacks.

Well, Dobby was useful in a way. He'd let slip that the Chamber of Secrets had been opened before. Then the maniac started hitting himself.

"You mean the Chamber of Secrets had been opened before?" Hermione said.

'Duh. Didn't I just spend ten minutes explaining everything?' Harry thought sarcastically.

"This settles it," Ron said in a triumphant voice. "Lucius Malfoy must have opened the Chamber when he went to school here and now he's told dear old Draco how to do it. It's obvious. I wish Dobby's told you what kind of monster was in there. How is it nobody's noticed it sneaking around the school?"

"Maybe it can make itself invisible," Hermione theorized. The rest of the conversation as was lost on Harry as he was lost in thought.

' Hmm, Slytherin's monster. I hear voices that others can't hear…. If I were Slytherin, what creature would I use in my Chamber? What am I missing here? A snake? Slytherin was a slippery git. I don't know of any snakes that can petrify people… Gah! What am I missing here?' he thought in ever growing frustration.

The news that Colin had been attacked and was now lying as though dead in the hospital wing had spread through the school by Monday morning. The air was suddenly thick with rumour and suspicion. First years were now moving around in tight-knit groups, as though scared they would be attacked if the ventured forth alone.

Ginny Weasley, who sat next to Colin in Charms, was distraught but Harry felt that the twins were going about it the wrong way in cheering her up. Meanwhile hidden from the teachers, a roaring trade of talismans, amulets, and other such nonsense protective devices was sweeping through the school. Neville had even bought a large foul smelling plant… thing, and some sort of purple crystal. Harry thought it was all just silly, since Neville was a pureblood and among the least likely to be attacked. It was everyone else who had something to worry about.

A week later, the trio was walking across the entrance hall when they say a small knot of people gathered around the notice board, reading a piece of parchment that had just been pinned up. Seamus and Dean beckoned them over, looking excited.

"They're starting a Dueling Club!" said Seamus. "First meeting tonight! I wouldn't mind dueling lessons; they might come in handy one of these days…"

"What, you reckon Slytherin's monster can duel?" said Ron, but he, too, read the sign with interest.

"Could be useful," he said to Harry and Hermione as they went into dinner. 'Shall we go?"

"I wonder who'll be teaching us?' said Hermione as they edged into the chattering crowd. "Someone told me Flitwick was a dueling champion when he was young - maybe it'll be him."

"As long as it's not - oh no" Harry began but ended with a groan.

"Gather round! Gather round! Can you all hear me? Can you all see me? Excellent!" Lockhart a.k.a. the "Large Walking Golden Penis" (As Harry and Ron had taken to calling him) waved and arm for silence.

"Now, Professor Dumbledore has granted me permission to start this little Dueling Club, to train you all up, in case you ever need to defend yourselves as I have done on countless occasions - for further details, see my published works." the ponce said as he flung his cloak into a small group of witches.

"Let me introduce me assistant, Professor Snape," he said with a large smile. "He tells me he knows a tiny bit about dueling himself, and has sportingly agreed to help me with a short demonstration. Now, I don't want any of you to worry - you'll still have you Potions master when I'm through with him, never fear! We won't be using any lethal spells."

"Damn!" came the anguished moan of Ron, as Harry sighed in disappointment.

"Of all the rotten luck. It would have been great if they'd just finish each other off." Ron muttered in Harry's ear, which caused Hermione to glare at them.

Snape's upper lip was curling. Harry couldn't tell if it was almost a smile, or if Snape had just eaten something foul.

In short order, Lockhart had been blown arse over elbow by a powerful "Expelliarmus" from Snape. Lockhart of course tried to save face by going on about how if he'd wanted to stop Snape it'd have been "Too easy." Yeah right.

Soon they were marching through the crowd, matching up partners. Neville was matched with Justin, but Snape reached Harry and Ron first.

"Time to break up the dream team I think." he sneered.

Ron was teamed with Seamus, as Harry tried to sneak over toward Hermione. "I don't think so Potter. Mr. Malfoy, come here. Let's see what you make of the famous Harry Potter. And you, Miss Granger - you can partner with Miss Greengrass."

Harry had to double-take. He hadn't noticed Daphne in the crowd before. He was too busy watching Lockhart get his arse handed to him to notice anyone else.

Malfoy strutted over, smirking. 'Git' Harry thought. Behind him walked Daphne, who gave Harry a slight smile as she paired off with Hermione, who was looking nervous. She knew Daphne was top in their year a fact that irritated Hermione to no end.

Daphne was no slouch with a wand either. Within seconds of the call to start, Hermione was on the ground; bound with a bloody lip, and a slightly dazed look in her eyes. Daphne looked a bit sheepish at this and quickly helped her up. Malfoy and Harry had been pretty even. Both of them were suffering from the effects of mild jinxes, Malfoy laughing uncontrollably on the ground from a Tickling Charm, and Harry flat on his back with his legs jerking wildly.

Around the entire hall, students lay moaning in pain or otherwise suffering from other jinxes and hexes. It was a disaster that Lockhart put a stop to quickly before anyone else got hurt.

"I think I'd better show you how to block unfriendly spells," said a flustered Lockhart in the midst of all the carnage. "Let's see, I'll need a demonstration pair - Longbottom and Finch-Fletchly, how about you -"

"A bad idea, Professor Lockhart," said Snape, gliding over like a large malevolent rabies infected bat. "Longbottom causes devastation with the simplest spells. We'll be sending what's left of Finch-Fletchly to the hospital wing in a matchbox." Neville's round face went crimson at Snape's insult.

"How about Malfoy and Potter?" said Snape with a twisted smile.

"An excellent idea!" said Lockhart, gesturing Harry and Malfoy onto the dueling platform in the middle of the hall. After some idiotic tips on dueling from Lockhart, who managed to drop his wand, Harry and Malfoy faced off at the centre of the stage.

"Scared?" muttered Malfoy, so that Lockhart couldn't hear him.

"You wish dick-face." said Harry out the corner of his mouth, as Malfoy's face pinked.

"Just do as I did Harry." said Lockhart pompously.

"What drop my wand?" Harry asked innocently, which caused the male population in the hall to laugh.

"Yes… well, on the count of three. One… Two…" Malfoy's wand was moving at the count of two. Harry expected no less from the little slime ball, and was moving to dodge the incoming strike. Draco's spell went wide, and Harry retaliated instantly with a banishing hex that caught Malfoy square in the chest, sending him flipping end over end to the other edge of the stage, landing hard… on his arse.

Snape quickly grabbed Draco and hurled him back on his feet.

"Everti Statum!" cried Malfoy.

The spell was coming at Harry fast. In a moment of desperation, Harry's mind yelled 'SHIELD!' In an instant, Malfoy's spell bounced off the bright ethereal blue shield that appeared in front of Harry, right back at the little ferret faced git, knocking him on his back. After a moment of stunned silence, Snape hurled Malfoy to his feet, but this time whispered something in Draco's ear.

Daphne watched the entire affair with more than a little amusement. After the little shit had tried to get fresh with her, she thought that he was getting exactly what was coming to him. She was as stunned as everyone else that Harry had yet to utter a single word, and yet, he managed to blast Malfoy across the stage, and even raise a shield. She was becoming more and more intrigued with Harry Potter. He was already very powerful for someone his age.

The two adversaries faced each other again. Malfoy raised his wand and bellowed, "Sepensortia!"

The end of his wand exploded. Harry watch, aghast, as a long black snake shot out of it, fell heavily on the floor between them, and raised itself, ready to strike. There were screams from the crowd as everyone backed away from the stage.

"Don't move, Potter. I'll get rid of it for you." said Snape lazily as he enjoyed the sight of Harry standing motionless, eye to eye with an angry snake.

"Allow me!" shouted Lockhart. He brandished his wand at the snake and there was a loud bang; the snake instead of vanishing, shot straight up into the air and fall back onto the stage with a loud smack. Enraged and hissing furiously, it slithered straight for Justin Finch-Fletchly and raised itself again, fangs exposed, ready to strike.

Harry wasn't sure what made him do it. He wasn't even aware of deciding to do it. All he knew was that his legs carried him forward as he shouted stupidly at the snake, "Leave him alone!" And miraculously, the snake slumped to the floor, docile as a thick black garden hose, its eyes now on Harry. Harry felt his fear drain out of him. He knew the snake wouldn't attack anyone now, though how he knew it, he couldn't explain.

He looked up at Justin, grinning, expecting to see Justin looking relived, or puzzled, or even grateful - but certainly not angry and scared.

"What are you playing at Potter?" he shouted at Harry, and before he could reply, Justin had turned and stormed out of the hall.

Daphne Greengrass was stunned. Not only was Harry Potter a very powerful wizard, but he was also a Parslemouth! A trait commonly attributed to only dark wizards and witches. Not that she believed such tripe. It was like the misconception that all Slytherins were evil. Well she certainly was NOT evil. Since that evening she had spoken to him in the hospital wing, she'd found herself thinking more and more about the raven haired boy. She couldn't explain why, but there you have it. She had a crush on Harry Potter.

"This school of witchcraft and idiocy are all probably going to think Harry is the heir of Slytherin." She muttered to herself as she dressed down for bed. She was going to have to find him when he was alone so that she could talk to him. She saw how his "Best friend" Ronald Weasley was looking at him as Granger dragged Harry out of the hall.

She knew that the weasel was probably going to distance himself from Harry. She could feel it. Granger would probably stick by him no matter what. Like an over protective older sister. Still she couldn't help but feel a little jealous of Granger. She was after all the only girl to almost always be with Harry. Daphne knew she'd just have to wait until she happened upon the cute raven haired destroyer of ferrets when he was alone. She could wait.

X x x x x x x x x x x

Note: 12/14/2010 Beta'd.

A/N: there you have it folks, Chapter two of my story. I get the feeling it's going to be a long one too. I think I'll put it all into one story instead of breaking it up year by year. That's too much of a pain keeping track of all the chapters on FFN. I already have two other stories, and it gets quite annoying uploading new documents. Read and review. I've come to the decision that they will not reveal their friendship until the Yule Ball. So! To keep this story from becoming too monotonous, I'll gloss past or even skip whole parts of each year that don't really matter. It irritates me when people write about ALL the things a character did that day. Day after day! NO ONE CARES! There is no need to describe exactly what someone has for breakfast, lunch, and dinner! Or what they pick out to wear! Get on with the story already! So I do my best not to get trapped in that pattern, which really says to me the reader, that the writer has run out of things to write about and is just using up hard drive space with that crap. Sorry for this rant, but it's just something that irritates me to no end. Many a good fic have been ruined this way. Cheers!


	4. Dumbledore and the Polyjuice Aftermath

**Chapter Three - Interlude With Dumbledore And Polyjuice Aftermath**

Albus Dumbledore was concerned. Not only because of the attacks; the latest being the petrification of Nearly Headless Nick and Hufflepuff, Justin Finch-Fletchly. He was also concerned about one, Harry Potter, who seemed to always be at the wrong place at the wrong time. He had been found by Argus Filch at the scene of the attack.

Of course he knew, beyond a doubt, that Harry was not involved. Liberal use of Legilimency on the boy when he was brought before him confirmed Harry's innocence. The rest of the school, however, seemed content with pointing the finger at the poor boy.

Severus reported somewhat disturbing news that the boy was a Parslemouth, and his non-verbal casting of spells during the disastrous Dueling Club meeting. Indeed young Harry is very powerful there was no doubt about that. He was amused to see his Potions master barge into his office, nearly foaming at the mouth after the fact.

Sifting through the boy's memories had shown Albus that Harry's magic had acted on mere instinct, and had not even thought of any incantations while on the dueling platform. He had previously cast the Tickling Charm, but was completely silent against young Malfoy.

There was also something there, within Harry. He could not for the life of him, figure it out. When asked, the Sorting Hat merely laughed and said that there was no darkness in the boy, but his scar was worth investigation at a later date.

Another memory surfaced during his searching, that of a young blond haired girl. With a smile as he reflected on it later, Albus realized the girl to be none other than Miss Greengrass. Her memory came to the surface quite often in young Harry's mind. With a chuckle Albus thought to himself, 'Oh yes, this was something to watch for in the future. It could be quite amusing to see where this friendship goes.'

He had been watching Harry ever since the Dueling Club fiasco. Miss Granger has thus far stood by the boy, but Ronald, he was sad to note, had begun distancing himself. It is unfortunate to note that Ron Weasley was a mediocre student with no real talents. 'Shame, that.' he thought.

Perhaps Miss Greengrass may be the key to Harry's success against Voldemort, or at least part of it. With a Slytherin's cunning and intelligence and a Gryffindor's bravery they would be an unstoppable pair. Together with Miss Granger, and the idea's she could add, in response to any given situation, and her protectiveness of Harry, they could be matched by none. Oh yes, Tom was in for a surprise should he ever return.

"Hermione, come out, we've got loads to tell you-"

"Go away!" Hermione squeaked.

Ron and Harry looked at each other as Moaning Myrtle glided suddenly through the stall door.

"Ooooooh, wait till you see," she said. "It's awful-"

They heard the lock slide back and Hermione emerged, sobbing, her robes pulled up over her head.

"What's up?" Ron asked uncertainly. "Have you still got Millicent's nose or something?"

Hermione let the robes fall and Ron backed into the sink. Her face was covered in black fur. Her eyes had turned yellow and there were long pointy ear poking through her hair.

"It was c-cat hair!" she howled. "M-Millicent Bulstrode m-must have a cat! And the potion isn't s-supposed to be used for animal transformations!"

"Uh-oh" said Ron with a grin.

"L-Look at my face!" said Hermione.

"Look at your tail!" said Ron in amusement, earning a glare from Harry.

"You'll be teased something dreadful," said Myrtle happily.

"It's okay Hermione," said Harry quickly. "We'll take you up to the hospital wing. Madam Pomfrey never asks too many questions…."

x x x x x x x x x x x x x x

_Bright flashes of colour assaulted his vision. He was fighting a vicious battle. His opponent was a beautiful brunette woman, who's blue eyes were filled with pure hate. Hate directed at him._

_They continued to trade spells for hours. She was a very powerful witch, who wielded a staff nearly as tall as she was. Slowly they both closed the distance to each other. He looked down at his wand. It looked strangely reminiscent or Dumbledore's wand, yet, but more smooth, and it was clear that it wasn't as old._

_As the battle continued it was clear that he wasn't trying to kill this unknown woman, but to wear her out, to get her to yield. He didn't enjoy taking a life. He was casting some incredible spells, and she was barely able to withstand the attacks. It was clear, that if he really wanted to, he could have annihilated her. He didn't, however, and it would cost him dearly. As they closed within arm's length, she suddenly drew a dagger, and slashed at him. It was his reflexes that helped him avoid the first slash, but not the second. He realized too late, that the blade had been coated in poison. He felt the immense pain coursing through his body. He was going to die. There was only one thing he could do now. She was beyond redemption. She had to die._

_Again he felt the blade plunge into his chest as he felt to one knee. Raising his wand, he acted on instinct. He blasted her away from him, and he staggered to his feet once last time. As she began to lift herself up from the cold wet mud, he took aim. His vision beginning to blur, he him cried out, 'DESTROY!', and instantly a very large ball of pure white magic exploded from the tip of his wand, racing toward his adversary._

_There was a tremendous explosion and she was smeared against a large boulder behind her. His vision began fading. Falling to one knee, he heard a voice cry his name. He slipped further to the ground as he felt a pair of arms catch him before he fell face first into the mud. The arms turned him over and cradled him._

_He heard soft weeping, and as he opened his eyes, he looked into the most beautiful pair of blue eyes he had ever known. The eyes of his beloved wife. With effort, he handed his wand to her. The pain coursing through his body was intensifying._

_"T-take it my love. P-Place it I-in my c-cave, so that the c-chosen one, my dec-cendant, may wield it against the d-darkest of darkness. S-So that he may be victorious. H-He will find it w-when it is t-time. I-I've made certain o-of it. M-My time here on this p-plane of existence has c-come to an e-end. I l-love y-you Adien, I a-always w-w-will. U-until we m-meet a-again." And the eyes of Myrddin Emrys closed for the last time to the sounds of a sobbing wife._

X x x x x x x x x

Harry suddenly bolted upright in his bed. He was sweating profusely, his breathing was ragged.

"What the hell was that?" he asked himself.

Looking around, he saw and heard, his dorm mates still asleep. Glancing out his window, he could see it was still dark out, as mornings always were in the dead of winter.

'Damn, it's only half-four. No sense in trying to go back to sleep now.' he thought.

The dream was a new one, very unusual for him. Usually dreams like that consisted of maniacal laughter and green flashes. This was a battle. Who was the beautiful woman who held him in her arms? The details of the dream began to fade as he woke up. Shaking the thought from his mind, he picked up his books and wandered down to the common room to read ahead.

Hermione had been in the hospital wing for the past two weeks. He wished she were here, maybe she could give him some insight. But, no, the memory of the dream was gone. It had felt so real.

x x x x x x x x x x x x x x

"Ooooh, it might have hidden powers," said Hermione enthusiastically, taking the diary and looking at it closely.

"T.M. Riddle. I saw his award in the trophy room when Ron and I had to polish every one of them during our detentions. It was dated fifty years ago. He got an award for special services to the school. I wonder why someone tried to chuck it out?" said Harry thoughtfully.

"Maybe this Riddle knew something about the Chamber being opened. Didn't Malfoy say it was opened fifty years ago?" asked Hermione. "What if Riddle got an award for catching the heir of Slytherin fifty years ago?"

"Brilliant theory Hermione, but there is just one problem," said Harry. "There isn't anything written in this diary. The guy must have been a bit of a poofter if he had a diary."

Rolling her eyes at Harry, she grabbed her wand from her bag. "It might be invisible ink," she said as she tapped her wand three times on its pages and said, "Apacrecium!"

Nothing happened. Undaunted, she shoved her hand back into her bag and pulled out what appeared to be a bright red eraser.

"It's a Revealer, I got it in Diagon Alley," she said.

She rubbed hard on January First. Nothing happened.

"Well that was a load of nothing," said Harry.

Hermione simply rolled her eyes and smiled slightly. At least he is still here, unlike Ron who has taken to playing chess with Seamus and Dean more often. 'If I didn't know any better, I'd say he was avoiding Harry.' she thought to herself.

"Happy Valentine's Day!" Lockhart shouted to the students in the Great Hall. He was wearing the most God-awful lurid pink robes. 'And may I thank the forty-six people who have so far sent me cards! Yes, I have taken the liberty of arranging this little surprise for you all - and it doesn't end here!"

At that moment the doors burst open and a dozen surly-looking dwarves marched into the hall. Not just any dwarfs however, they were all wearing golden wings and carrying harps. "This is not good." muttered Harry.

"My friendly card carrying cupids!" beamed Lockhart. "They will be roving around the school today, delivering your valentines!"

A collective groan from the male population caused many girls to glare at them. Many of the dwarfs seemed to be muttering obscenities under their breath, which Harry found quite funny. The idiot then went on to tell people to ask Flitwick to show them Entrancing Enchantment, to which the diminutive professor scowled. The look of pure loathing Snape gave Lockhart when he said they could ask him for love potions was priceless. He looked as though the first person to ask him for a love-potion would be force fed poison.

Harry contemplated skiving off classes to hide in Snape's class under his invisibility cloak just to see the show. A look from Hermione squashed that idea quickly. 'How the hell does she always seem to know what I'm thinking? Well, either way the ponce has a prank coming to him' he asked himself with a grin.

Hermione continued to glare at him. "What?" he asked.

"Don't even think about it Harry. I know that look on your face. It means nothing but trouble." replied his bushy haired friend.

'Payback time.' he thought.

"Please don't tell me you were one of the forty-six," he asked as they left the Great Hall. She suddenly became very interested in searching her bag for her schedule and didn't answer.

'Ha! Score one for me,' he thought happily.

All day long dwarfs kept barging into their classes to deliver valentines to unsuspecting victims.. erm… students, much to the annoyance of their teachers.

He had taken time to write a simple missive to Daphne, and send it along with a school owl to be delivered at lunch. When the owl took off, he realized it was too late to take it back. 'Why did I do that?' he asked himself with rising panic. 'Sure it was just a simple "hello, wish you a happy Valentine's Day," but if she didn't like it he would be mortified, and could never look her in the face again. 'I'm so dead' he thought.

Late afternoon found Harry and Hermione walking upstairs to Charms. He had skipped lunch for fear of Daphne's reaction, and was now paying the price. He was starving. He was so preoccupied with his own hunger that he missed the dwarf approach him.

"Oy, you! 'Arry Potter!' shouted the particularly grim-looking dwarf, as he elbowed people out of the way to get to him. Panicking Harry looked for an escape but found the corridor behind him packed. Blushing deep red at the thought of being given a valentine in front of a line of first years, which happened to include Ginny Weasley, he still tried desperately to escape. The dwarf, however, cut his way through the crowd by kicking people shins, 'The little shite,' thought Harry, and he reached him before he went two paces.

"I've got a musical message to deliver to 'Arry Potter in person," he said, twanging his harp in an oddly threatening sort of way.

"Not here!" Harry hissed, still trying to escape.

"Stay still!" grunted the little wanker, grabbing hold of Harry's bag, and pulling him back.

"Let me go!' Harry snarled, whilst trying to tug himself free.

With a loud ripping noise, his bag split in two. His books, parchment, quill, and ink spilled onto the floor. Harry scrambled around trying to pick it all up before the little demon started singing, causing a hold up in the corridor.

Harry started stuffing everything into his ripped bag as he heard Percy Weasley ask, "What's all this commotion?"

'Pompous Git,' thought Harry.

Losing his head, Harry tried to make a run for it, but the dwarf seized him around the knees and brought him down, painfully.

"Right," he said, sitting on Harry's ankles. "Here is you singing valentine:

_His eyes are as green as a fresh pickled toad,_

_His hair is as dark as a blackboard,_

_I wish he was mine, he's really divine,_

_The hero that conquered the Dark Lord."_

Harry would have given all the gold in Gringotts to evaporate on the spot. He tried valiantly to laugh along with everyone else, he got up, feet numb from the weight of the little shite-head, as Percy tried his best to disperse the crowd, some of whom were crying with mirth.

'This has Fred and George written all over it,' Harry thought to himself. 'Revenge is in order. I'm going to prank their pants off.'

Harry, glancing over, saw Malfoy stoop and snatch up something. Leering, he showed it to this duo of buffoons Crabbe and Goyle, and Harry realized he'd got Riddle's diary.

"Give that back," said Harry quietly.

"Wonder what Potty's written in this?" said Malfoy, who obviously hadn't noticed the year on the cover and thought he had Harry's own diary. A hush fell over the onlookers. Ginny was staring from the diary to Harry looking terrified.

"Hand it over Malfoy," said Percy sternly.

"When I've had a good look," replied the ferret face ponce.

Percy said, "As a school prefect-," anything else he was going to say was lost as Harry shouted a disarming hex at Malfoy sending him sliding down the hall as the diary flew through the air. Hermione glared at Harry, but caught the diary before it hit the ground.

Percy of course got his knickers in a twist, but Harry didn't care. He'd gotten one up on Malfoy, and that was worth every one of the five points he'd lost. Malfoy was looking furious as Ginny passed him to enter classroom. "I don't think Potter liked your valentine much!" Malfoy spat at her.

Ginny covered her face with her hands and ran into class. Ron who had been standing nearby during the entire event snarled, pulling out his wand, only to be stopped by Hermione. As such, Ron didn't spend all of Charms belching out slugs.

'Another target for retribution,' Harry said to himself. He was going to be busy this afternoon after classes.

Immediately after classes, Harry set about his retribution. He was so preoccupied that he failed to notice Daphne who was rounding a corner at the same time, and they collided, both falling to the ground.

"Oh! I'm so sorry Daphne! I didn't see you there!" he said apologetically.

"Obviously," she muttered as he helped her up. "Where were you going in such a hurry? And without watching out, tisk tisk Potter," she said with a slight smile.

Blushing at her light teasing, he suddenly realized how cute she was, which of course made him blush more, especially when she thanked him for the valentine she got at lunch.

"Erm… well, you're welcome," he squeaked, which caused Daphne to giggle.

"I was trying to find the kitchens so that I could prank someone. Several some one's in fact," he said.

"Oh really now? Who?" She asked in an amused tone of voice.

"Erm.. Malfoy, Fred, George, and that git Lockhart," he mumbled.

"Wow Potter. You certainly set some ambitious goals don't you?" she asked. "It's almost Slytherin of you."

"Well, the sorting hat was going to put me in Slytherin, but after meeting the little ferret called Malfoy, I begged it to put me anywhere besides there."

'Why the hell did I tell her that?' he asked himself.

A look of shock crossed her face momentarily before it was replaced with a more calculating look.

"I think I can help you," She said. "That is, if you'd like," she finished shyly.

"Of course! I was thinking love potions and a few charms. Do you know where I can get a love potion?" he said.

"I can whip one up quickly. Who is it going to be for?" She asked.

"Malfoy now I Just need some one's hair to put in it,"

"I know just the person," she said with a smirk as she turned and trotted off quickly, pausing only to tell him how to get into the kitchens.

In the end, she had acquired some hair, she didn't say from whom, no matter how much Harry asked. She told him that Malfoy always sat in the same seat flanked by his two goons, so he slipped into the Great Hall under his invisibility cloak to cast the necessary charms. Daphne would discreetly use a switching spell on his goblet to add a bit of the love potion as Harry did the same to Fred and George.

As he was sitting in the Great Hall that evening, awaiting the show, he had to force himself not to smile. Daphne however, didn't seem to have that problem. She sat serenely at the Slytherin table, nose buried in a book, as per usual. He watched Malfoy walk in with his two brain-dead book-ends, and sat exactly where Daphne said he would. The only indication she gave was a quick glance out of the corner of her eye without turning her head. Harry had to use a mild compulsion charm on Fred and George whilst hidden under his cloak earlier in the day. Still, it was no guarantee they would sit where they were suppose too.

Excitement swelled within him as Fred and George sat in the correct seats, like good little Gryffindors. As the food appeared, Harry quickly dug into his food to avoid suspicion. Two minutes later, with a slight nod to Daphne, they both switched a portion of their target's goblets with the love-potions. As soon as they drank, the charms would activate.

Suddenly there were four simultaneous explosions and clouds of pink smoke surrounded the victims. When the smoke cleared; Malfoy, Fred, George, and Lockhart were no longer wearing clothes, having been replaced by adult diapers, golden wings, a halo, and carrying harps.

Immediately the sound of drums and an overly loud saxophone filled the Great Hall. Malfoy, Fred and George suddenly leapt to their feet, and began singing a muggle song called "Careless Whispers".

Malfoy sang his way toward Professor Snape, as Fred and George approached Lockhart with their awful singing. Laughter filled the Great Hall, but none laughed harder than the Muggleborns, and a few Half-Blooded students.

As Malfoy stood in front of Snape, singing his heart out, he was oblivious to the fact that his head of house was livid.

"Tonight the music seems so loud! I wish that we could lose this crowd! Maybe its better this way, we'd hurt each other with the things we want to say! We could have been so good together we could have lived this dance forever! But NOW who's gunna dance with me?-"

The trio sang in perfect sync, and suddenly all three lunged for the objects of their affections. Fred and George had tackled Lockhart before being stunned by Professor McGonagall. Harry was sure that he had seen the corners of her mouth twitch upwards for an instant. She floated the unconscious Gryffindors to the hospital wing.

Malfoy didn't fare any better. As seen as he lunged for Professor Snape, he found himself stunned and bound and falling forward landing with a smack face first behind the table. A livid Professor Snape levitated the little greasy shite out of the Great Hall with the entire student body, including most of the Slytherins laughing uproariously.

Harry had almost fallen out of his seat when Lockhart had scrambled to his feet after being tackled. He hightailed it out of the Great Hall as quickly as his bare feet could carry him, golden wings flapping the entire way.

Harry looked over at Daphne. It seemed she didn't have a care in the world. She simply sat merrily eating her treacle-tart. That was when Harry looked down at his plate. He immediately found a small pink envelope next to it. Picking it up with some trepidation, he opened it and pulled out the simple card.

_Dear Harry,_

_I hope you've had as wonderful a day as I have. Happy Valentine's Day._

_Yours,_

_D._

He looked up at her, and they shared a secret smile.

X x x x x x x

A/N: The longest chapter so far. The prank was the best I could come up without planning anything. I just pulled it out of nowhere. Eh. Daphne and Harry get a little closer. As you may have noticed, Harry isn't quite as clueless as canon.


	5. Greengrass Interlude, And The Heir

**Chapter Four Greengrass Interlude and the Heir Of Slytherin.**

It had been an interesting year for Daphne Greengrass. It started off just as it had last year only this time instead of a stuttering moron as a Defense Professor they had a gilded sack of dragon dung.

Then the attacks started on Halloween night. First Mrs. Norris was petrified, then less than two months later, the Muggle-born Justin Finch-Fletchly and Nearly Headless Nick fell victim. She'd been upset that the entire school seemed to be pointing the finger at Harry Potter.

Harry, the boy she had a crush on. She'd noticed him since be the beginning of the previous year. He was so cute, with his messy hair, wire framed glasses, and startlingly green eyes.

Valentine's Day had been a lot of fun. They had literally run into each other in the hall way, soon after their last class of the day. The simple note he had sent her during their lunch break had been on her mind all afternoon. It wasn't a declaration of love by any stretch of the imagination, but it did warm her heart to know that he'd been thinking about her. Were they a year or two older, she'd have found him and dragged him into the nearest broom closet and snogged him until he forgot his name.

When their prank went off without a hitch, she had looked over to see him nearly falling off the bench in laughter. It made her smile. Something she wasn't really able to do very often around her fellow Slytherins. Around them, she'd been forced to adopt a rather aloof, cold demeanor, because she didn't want any part of their Pure-Blood supremacy nonsense.

She was already being called, a bit of an "Ice Queen" by some of the Slytherins. Now a day, Harry seemed to be the only one who could break through that façade.

It had broken her heart when she had seen him in the hospital wing, sitting beside his friend Hermione Granger after she'd been petrified. He looked so lost. He was there nearly every day, sitting by her side, and sometimes reading the day's lessons to her. She joined him when she could, offering him whatever comfort she could.

He'd told her the Mandrake Draught was still weeks away from being completed, and she would have given anything to ease his pain. She didn't know why she felt this way about him. It just seemed like the right thing to do. They had gotten to know each other quite well after Granger's petrification. Though he asked their friendship be kept secret.

She was mildly hurt by the request, but she saw his logic when he'd told her he didn't want her to be hurt by someone from her own house, simply because she was his friend. And so, they were keeping their growing friendship under wraps for the time being.

When she'd heard a rumour that a student had been taken into the Chamber by the Heir of Slytherin, her heart stopped. The first person she thought most likely to be kidnapped was Harry. He was The-Boy-Who-Lived after all, and had proven himself to be extremely powerful.

Her intuition told her that Harry was in danger. Maybe he wasn't the one taken into the Chamber, but knowing him, being the Gryffindor he was, he'd likely gone to rescue the unknown student himself. If she was right, she just hoped she got to see him alive again. She didn't think her heart could take it if she lost him now that she had just found him.

X x x x x x x x x x x x

Every nerve in his Harry's body was tingling. He was afraid. He knew there was a Basilisk down here. Hermione had figured it out the day she was petrified. He had no idea what he was doing only that he had to do something. It seemed that he was the only one who was able to.

Lockhart, as he had always suspected, turned out to be a fraud. The idiot had knocked himself cold after he attempted to Obliviate him with Ron's spell-o-taped wand. He and his best friend had drifted apart. It seemed the only reason that Ron had come this far was because his sister had been the one taken. He could empathize with Ron. He felt crushed when Hermione had been petrified.

The only bright spot in that whole mess was Daphne. She had seen him sitting by Hermione's bedside, and had offered him support. She started joining him every other day, and they'd gotten to know each other well. He hated to keep their friendship secret, but with everyone thinking he was the Heir, and after the attack on Hermione, he didn't want to lose another friend simply because she was.

The tunnel seemed never-ending; all that could be heard were his footsteps and the dripping of water. Creeping around another corner, ready to shut his eyes in case he came across Slytherin's snake, he finally came across a large circular doorway. It had several snakes that radiated from the great hinge on Harry's left side.

Guessing what he had to do, he cleared his throat and spoke.

_"Open."_

Immediately the sound of metal clanging echoed through the dark tunnel, as the serpents pulled back one by one allowing the great iron door to swing open.

Shaking from head to toe, Harry steeled himself, and walked inside.

X x x x x x x x x x x

He found himself in a very large dimly lit room. His heart was pounding in his chest, and would not have been surprised if it could be heard back in Myrtle's bathroom.

Walking forward, wand at the ready, he was able to see more clearly as he approached the centre. Both sides of the Chamber were lined with large serpent statues, each as frightening as the next.

Ahead he spotted a large carved face, Slytherin no doubt. 'This guy was just as vain as Lockhart,' he thought to himself. At the base of the stone face, he spotted a crumpled mass of black robes, and a flash of red hair. He knew immediately who it was.

"Ginny!" he shouted as he ran full speed toward her. Falling to his knees beside her, he began desperately trying to wake her, but she was unresponsive and cold as ice.

"Ginny, wake up! Please don't be dead!" he said.

"She won't wake," came a soft voice from the darkness.

Looking up, Harry saw a tall black haired boy walking toward him slowly. He was strangely blurred around the edges, and it seemed to Harry as though he were looking at him through misted window. There was no mistaking who the boy was…

"Tom- Tom Riddle?" he asked.

"What do you mean she won't wake? She's not-?"

"She's alive, but only just," said Riddle.

Harry stared at him. Tom Riddle had been at Hogwarts fifty years ago, and yet, here he stood, not a day older than sixteen. A few pieces began falling into place. He had an idea of what was going on, he just hoped he was wrong.

"You're not a ghost are you?" he asked.

"A memory," said Riddle quietly, "Preserved in a diary for fifty years." pointing to the diary in Ginny's hands.

Harry felt his stomach drop into his shoes. It all made sense now.

"It was you. You opened the Chamber of Secrets, and framed Hagrid didn't you?"

"Very good Harry, you've finally figured it out. Too bad it wasn't soon enough to save yourself and little Ginny Weasley. Soon she will be dead, and Lord Voldemort will return, very much alive." said Riddle triumphantly.

_"Speak to me, Slytherin, greatest of the Hogwarts four."_

Yup, Slytherin was definitely a self absorbed ponce, just like Lockhart. Time to run!

X x x x x x x x x x

White-hot pain slowly radiated from the wound caused by the Basilisk's fang. Even as he dropped the fang on the floor, his vision turned foggy. He stumbled to Ginny's side as Riddle spoke.

'So, ends the famous Harry Potter," he said. "Alone in the Chamber of Secrets, forsaken by his friends, defeated by the Dark Lord he so unwisely challenged. You be with your dear Mudblood mother soon, Harry…"

'If this was dying,' Harry thought, 'It's not so bad.'

"Funny, what a silly little book can do," said Riddle, "especially in the hands of a silly little girl."

The Diary! It all came back to the stupid book! And like any other stupid villain, this ponce just gave the key to destroying him! The wanker!

Grabbing hold of the Basilisk's fang once again, he pulled the diary out of Ginny's hands and laid it on the floor in front of him. With a smirk he looked up at Riddle, raising the fang into the air.

"What are you doing?" Riddle cried in alarm, "Stop!"

And with all of his remaining strength, Harry plunged the fang into the diary. Riddle let out a blood curdling shriek as light began breaking through his body. Suddenly, as quickly as it had begun, Riddle's body exploded in a shower of light.

Harry's vision began to fade. Slumping forward to the ground, the last thing he heard was Ginny calling his name. Darkness finally claimed him.

x x x x x x x x x x

A/N: Shorter than the others I think. Sorry I couldn't do more, I'm currently suffering from a migraine and this is the best I could do.


	6. Dobby's Reward

A/N: Sorry about the cliffy in the last chapter. I was suffering a bad migraine and was feeling a bit evil.

**Chapter Five Dobby's Reward**

Darkness surrounded his mind. He tried grasping the consciousness that seemed just out of reach. Slowly, ever so slowly, he felt himself beginning to wake. He could hear before he could open his eyes; which felt as though they weighed ten pounds each.

He became aware of the sound of someone softly weeping, and the sound of a bird cooing, trying to bring comfort to whomever it was that was crying. Slowly he was able to open his eyes. The memory of what had happened before darkness had claimed him, came rushing back.

With his eyes now open, he looked around and saw that he was still in the Chamber of Secrets. Sitting up, he looked to his right, and saw Ginny Weasley; knees pulled up to her chest, crying, her face buried in her robe.

In front of her was Fawkes, who continued his gentle cooing for the obviously distraught girl. Looking down at his arm, where the Basilisk fang had pierced his skin, he saw only a scar. Turning his head toward the majestic Phoenix, he realized that his life had been saved at the last moment by Dumbledore's familiar.

"Ginny?" he said.

The weeping girl looked up suddenly, and launched herself into his arms.

"Oh Harry! I'm sorry! " she sobbed. "I didn't mean to do it! Riddle made me! I tried to tell you at breakfast- but I couldn't- because of Percy! You came down here to save me, but you almost died! I'm sorry, I'm sorry," and she broke down in his arms completely.

Letting her cry a while longer until his legs had fallen asleep, he finally shifted and made as if to stand.

"Riddle's finished, look! him and his Basilisk. C'mon, Ginny, let's get out of here-"

"I'm going to be expelled!" she wept, as Harry helped her awkwardly to her feet. "I've been looking forward to coming to Hogwarts since, B-Bill came, and n-now I'll have to leave-"

'Oh Christ," thought Harry to himself. 'What the hell am I suppose to do with a weeping girl?'

They made their way through the Chamber and out of the tunnel where he left Ron. In short order, with the help of Fawkes, they found themselves in Myrtle's bathroom.

Myrtle goggled at them.

"You're alive," she said blankly.

"No need to sound so disappointed there." said Harry grimly.

X x x x x x x x x

The walk up to Dumbledore's office seemed painfully slow. Not just for Harry, but for Ginny as well. She was frightened that she would surely going to be expelled. Harry a tried to give her some comfort, but it didn't seem to help any.

As it turned out, Ginny's fear had been unfounded. Dumbledore explained that she was not at fault. That the diary had done exactly as it had been intended. That Riddle had hoodwinked many older and wiser witches and wizards. Ginny, along with Lockhart, were ushered to the hospital wing, by Mrs. Weasley and Professor McGonagall respectively.

Soon; all too soon, Harry and Ron found themselves alone, standing before their Headmaster, awaiting their fates as well.

"I seem to remember telling you both, that if you broke anymore rules, I would have you expelled," said Dumbledore.

"Yes sir," Ron and Harry replied, shamefaced, with their heads down.

"Which goes to show, that even the best of us can eat our words," Dumbledore went on smiling. "You will both receive, special Awards for Services to the School and- let me see- ah yes, I think two hundred points apiece to Gryffindor as well."

After sending Ron on his way, to the owlery, with a letter to the Warden of Azkaban, for the release of their Gamekeeper, Dumbledore asked if there was anything Harry wanted to ask him about.

"Down in the Chamber," Harry began. "Riddle said that we were alike."

"Did he now?" said Dumbledore, peering at Harry. "What do you think?"

"I don't think that I'm like him!" said Harry, more loudly than he intended. "I mean- I'm a Gryffindor, I'm.." He fell silent after a moment, a memory surfacing, unwanted.

"The Sorting hat, wanted to put me in Slytherin, said I'd have done well there. Everyone thought I was the Heir because I can speak Parseltongue…"

"You speak Parseltongue, Harry," said Dumbledore calmly, "because Lord Voldemort- who is the last remaining descendant of Slytherin- can speak Parseltongue as well. If I'm not mistaken, he transferred some of his powers to you, the night he gave you that scar. Not something he intended to do of course."

"Voldemort put a bit of himself in me?" Harry said, feeling suddenly queasy. "So I should be in Slytherin then? The hat could see Slytherin's power in me and it-"

"Put you in Gryffindor. Why Harry?" Dumbledore asked softly.

Harry thought to himself for a moment before responding.

"Because I asked it to."

"Exactly Harry! Exactly! True you have some of the traits that Voldemort himself values; ambition, drive, and if I may, a certain disregard for the rules." Dumbledore said with a smile. "If you doubt, whether you belong in Gryffindor, I suggest you take a closer look, at this," he finished, handing the ruby encrusted sword that had been used to slay the basilisk, to Harry.

Looking at the blade of the sword, Harry saw something unexpected. Along the flat side of the blade, there was a name engraved.

**Godric Gryffindor**.

"Only a true Gryffindor, could have pulled that out of the hat, and if my research into your family history is correct, I believe it belongs to you." said Dumbledore, eyes twinkling madly.

Stunned, Harry nearly dropped the sword. Looking up wide eyed at Dumbledore he asked, "I'm descended from Gryffindor?"

"Oh yes. I was surprised as you are, and yet, not at all surprised really. You, like Riddle, are the last of your lines. Might I ask one thing?" Harry nodded.

"I ask that you allow me to keep the sword here in my office, where it will be safe. It is now one of only two relics of Gryffindor known to exist."

"Yes sir. That's fine. I don't know what I'd be needing a sword for anyhow." said Harry.

Further conversation was interrupted by the office door slamming open so violently, it bounced off the wall.

Lucius Malfoy swept into the room, nearly shoving Harry aside as he stood before Dumbledore, fury evident on his face. And cowering behind his legs, heavily wrapped in bandages, was Dobby.

"So!" said Lucius. "You've come back. The governors suspended you, but you still saw fit to return."

'Wow, this over manicured tosspot is even greasier than his pillow-biting son,' thought Harry with some amusement.

"When the governors learned that Arthur Weasley's daughter had been killed, they saw fit to - summon me back," Dumbledore explained. "Curiously, several of them were under the impression that you would, curse their families, if they did not agree to suspend me n the first place."

"How dare you!" said Lucius with malice. "My sole concern has always been, and will always be this school-and it's students." he finished with a sneer directed at Harry.

"The culprit has been identified I presume?" he asked, to which Dumbledore merely nodded. "And? Who was it?"

"Voldemort," said the Headmaster calmly, "only, this time he chose to act thought another- with the aide, of this." The Headmaster finished by holding up the now tattered diary.

"I see…" said Mr. Malfoy slowly.

"A clever plan, I must say," said Dumbledore in a level voice, still staring Mr.' Malfoy in the eye. "Because if Harry here" - gesturing briefly to Harry - "and his friend Ronald hadn't discovered this book, why- Ginny Weasley might have taken all the blame. No one would ever have been able to prove, that she did not act of her own free will…"

Lucius' face had turned mask-like.

"And imagine," Dumbledore continued, "What it would have done to Arthur Weasley's Muggle Protection Act, if it had been discovered his own daughter had been implicated in the murder of Muggleborns. One would hope, that none of Voldemort's possessions ever find their way into innocent hands. The consequences for those responsible will be- severe." he finished radiating dangerous power. It was easy for Harry to see, why Dumbledore was the only wizard Voldemort ever feared.

Mr. Malfoy felt it too. Instead of responding, he simply turned to his house elf.

"Come Dobby. We're leaving!"

He wrench open the door, and as his house elf came hurrying up, he kicked him right through it. They could hear Dobby whimpering in pain all the way down the stairs to the corridor.

Harry stood for a moment, thinking hard. Then it came to him-

"Professor," he said quickly, "may I give that diary back to Mr. Malfoy?"

"Certainly Harry," said Dumbledore, "But hurry. Remember, there is a feast we must get to..."

Grabbing the diary, Harry dashed for the door. He could still hear Dobby whimpering around the corner. He quickly took off his shoe, and pulled off one of his dirty socks, and stuffed the diary into it. Quickly he ran down the corridor and caught up to Mr. Malfoy.

"Mr. Malfoy." he said, skidding to a stop behind him. "I've got something for you-" forcing the smelly sock covered diary into Lucius' hand.

'What the-?"

Lucius ripped the sock off the diary and threw it aside, then looked furiously from the ruined book to Harry.

"I don't know what you're talking about." said Lucius in disgust.

"I think you do sir," said Harry. "I think you slipped the diary into Ginny Weasley's cauldron, that day you got your face punched in by Mr. Weasley."

Mr. Malfoy's face twisted with rage, his right hand twitching, as though he longed to draw his wand.

"You do, do you?" he said with a sneer. 'Why don't you - prove it?"

They stood, eyes locked in a brief battle of wills, before Mr. Malfoy tossed the diary on the ground, and spun in place to continue on his way out. "Come Dobby. I said come!"

But Dobby didn't move. He was holding up Harry's dirty sock, reverently, as though it were a priceless treasure.

"Master has given Dobby a sock, said the elf in wonderment. "Dobby is free!"

"What?" spat Lucius. He stood frozen, staring at the elf.

"You've lost me my servant boy!" he lunged at Harry.

But Dobby shouted, "You shall not harm Harry Potter!"

There was a loud bang, and Mr. Malfoy was thrown backward. Landing in a crumpled heap, he picked himself up with what little dignity he could muster.

"Your parents were meddlesome fools too Potter. Mark my words you shall one day meet the same, sticky end."

With one last incensed glare at the two, he spun around and hurried out of sight.

"Harry Potter has freed Dobby!" said the elf in a shrill tone of voice. "How can Dobby ever repay you?" he asked unshed tears in his eyes.

"What will you do now Dobby?" said Harry.

"I is not knowing Harry Potter sir. It has been Dobby's dream to be free, but never was I thinking it would come true. I is going to have to find work sir, but I is afraid that no family will be wanting to pay a house elf for working." said Dobby.

Thinking a moment, Harry had another idea. "Well, I don't know how much money I have, only what I have in my vault at Gringott's, but if you can't find work, come see me. We'll see what we can work out, if I could afford to hire you."

"Harry Potter sir is very rich. He is coming from a Most Ancient and Noble family sir. The Potters are being very wealthy, much more so than Dobby's former family." Dobby said, bouncing on the balls of his feet.

"I'm- what?" Harry said, eyes going wide.

"Harry Potter sir is the head of the Most Ancient and Noble House of Potter. He is making the Malfoys look like paupers. Harry Potter did not know this?" asked the elf.

"N-No. I had no idea." said Harry, shaking his head.

"I is sorry sir. Dobby is knowing all of this. Dobby can teach Mr. Harry Potter sir, if he is wanting Dobby too." said Dobby, looking up at Harry hopefully.

"Okay Dobby," said Harry with a tired sigh. "Come see me after I get back to my relative's for the summer, and we'll work out the details."

"Yes Master Harry Potter sir. I will visit Harry Potter when he goes back to the nasty Muggles. Dobby will be taking care of Harry Potter!" he said excitedly.

And with a very low bow, Dobby vanished.

X x x x x x x x x

The morning after Harry's confrontation with, "Lucilla" Malfoy, as Harry had taken to calling him, (because only a woman would spend so much time on their hair) found Harry reading on his bed, alone.

Hearing the flapping of wings, he looked up to see Hedwig flying in through the open window. A note tied to her leg. When she landed on the footboard of his bed, he reached out to relieve her of her burden while he scratched her head.

"Hey girl. Got a note for me?" he cooed, to which Hedwig gave him a look as if saying 'No duh!'

"Alright - alright. Stupid question, I know." he said with a chuckle.

Untying the note, and breaking the wax seal, he opened the envelope to find a very short note.

_Harry,_

_Meet me in the second classroom on the left, of the unused third floor corridor tonight after dinner._

_Yours,_

_D._

X x x x x x x x x

At dinner that night, Harry kept stealing glances at Daphne, but she seemed blissfully unaware, except for one subtle nod in his direction. For Harry, dinner couldn't be over soon enough.

Finally, as the students began to file out to return to their common rooms, a few at a time, he spotted Daphne rise from her seat and make her way out of the Great hall. He figured he would give her about five minutes before he followed, as not to arouse suspicion.

Soon he found himself walking down the third floor corridor. Reaching the door he thought she meant, he reached for the handle unsurely, when the door was flung open and he was dragged inside, giving a startled yelp.

As the door closed behind him, he found himself engulfed in a hug that could rival Mrs. Weasley's. He looked down to see Daphne's silken honey coloured locks. He gently wrapped his arms around her.

"I was so worried about you when I heard a Gryffindor student had been taken down into the Chamber." she said softly, her voice breaking slightly near the end. "I didn't see you at dinner, and there was no way to find out if you were okay once we were all locked into our common rooms."

Harry didn't know what to say. He didn't want to worry her, by saying he had gone down to the Chamber to save the student who had been taken. He thought she might get a little mad at him. But in the end, he decided he couldn't bring himself to lie to her.

Sitting them both down on the ground, he looked at her and explained what had happened. He left nothing out, except the name of the student whom had been taken. She sat, silently as he told the harrowing tale of how he confronted the memory of Voldemort, and how he had once been known at Tom Marvolo Riddle. She gasped when he described the fight with the Basilisk, and Fawkes timely arrival. She trembled, and tears leaked from her eyes as he told her that he thought he was dead, only to wake up to the sound of a Phoenix, comforting the distraught student.

When he finished, she sat silently, looking at him intently. What she did next surprised him. Her face contorted in anger and she started beating her fists against his chest, angry tears spilling from her eyes.

"Of all the stupid Gryffindor things to do! You almost go and get yourself bloody killed! You stupid noble prat!" she said, finishing with a sob, burying her face in the crook of his neck again. He simply held her as her tears subsided.

"We've only just become friends Harry," she said. "I don't want to lose you now. I've barely gotten to know you. I don't want to lose my friend."

"I know," he whispered. "You're not going to lose me."

"Promise?" she asked softly.

"I promise."

X x x x x x x x x

A/N: There you have it. Closer and close they become. Up next, a bit of Harry's summer, and the beginning of year three I think. I'm taking dialogue from the movies and the books. Things will stay canon up until GOF, so I'm trying not to spend too much time on years two and three, because, other than Harry's friendship with Daphne, they will be pretty much the same. I will mostly gloss over some of the more important scenes of POA, and go into more detail with Harry and Daphne. I'm still trying to think up some ideas for GOF though. I'm not sure what I'll do, though I have a rough idea. I'm wondering about the situation with Moody/Crouch though. If he should be caught early through the pair's senses and Daphne's cunning, and have another of Moldyshort's followers take his place, or let it happen as in canon. Harry is going to kick ass in the tournament, thanks to our favorite Slytherin princess. They are going to start having visions of what is to come though, as well as faint memories of a past life. True seers, if you will.


	7. Owl Post, and Marge's Big Mistake

A/N: Beginning of Prisoner Of Azkaban. It was the first book of the series I read. Sadly, I read it in a hospital bed back in 2002. I must have read it at least ten times the entire month I was there. I have Crohn's Disease, so on occasion, I end up hospitalized when the pain gets to be too much. POA was, and still is my favourite book, but I won't be going into too much detail. I'll try to concentrate on the best scenes, and interactions between Harry and Daphne. Well, enough of that! On with the Show!

X x x x x x x x x x

Chapter Six

Gringotts and Owl Post.

July 10th.

Harry Potter was rather irritated. His relatives had been their usual nasty selves when he had gotten home. As usual, the ride home had been tense. Well, when it came to his Aunt and Uncle. His cousin on the other hand, merely stuffed his big fat face the entire time. Harry could swear that he could actually hear his cousin getting fatter. To make matters worse, his fat Uncle had informed him that Aunt Marge was going to visit after his Birthday.

Bollocks.

At least this year they had let him keep his trunk in his room, as well as allow Hedwig to go out at night.

Dobby had visited the day after his arrival at Number Four. It took some doing, but Dobby finally agreed on two Galleons, and one day off per month.

"Any more would make Dobby a disgrace." the little elf had proclaimed.

"I don't have anything for you to do here." said harry to the over active elf. "Neither of us can use magic with out me getting in trouble."

"Not to worry Master Harry Potter sir!" said Dobby. "Dobby is being asked by Headmaster Dumbydore if Dobby is needing work. Dobby is telling him I is going to work for Master Harry Potter sir, and he is saying since magic cannot be used at the bad muggle's house, I can work at Hogwarts until his Master returns to school to be serving him personally."

So it had been decided that Dobby would be servicing the needs of the Castle over the summer. Harry only wished that he was allowed to stay at the castle, or even Hogsmeade over the summer, instead of this hell hole he was living in now.

Two days after he had arrive in his cell at "Durzkaban", as the twins Fred and George were calling it, he'd gotten a letter from Daphne. It was a long letter, talking about everyday life at Greengrass Manor. She wrote about everything, and nothing at all. Harry smiled the entire time. When he had written back, he asked her if there was a way to get to Diagon Alley with out having to ride the tube or take the floo.

She told him about something called "The Knight Bus", transportation for the stranded witch or wizard. She said all he had to do was stand on the side of the street, and hold his wand up, and it would appear.

Three nights later, after the zoo animals he called his relatives fell asleep, he as quietly as he could, snuck out of Number Four, under his invisibility cloak, and made his way as quickly as possible down toward Magnolia Crescent.

"Well, here goes nothing." he said as he drew his wand and lifter it in the air. He felt rather foolish for a moment until a loud bang startled him, and he fell back. Right on his arse.

"Great…" he muttered as a large triple-decker bus, in the most violent purple he'd ever seen. Gold lettering over the windshield spelled 'The Knight Bus".

As the bus came to a stop right in front, Harry could see the conductor, dressed in a purple uniform, casually leaning against the hand rail of the entryway. With out looking up he read from a piece of paper:

"Welcome to the Knight Bus, emergency transport for the stranded witch or wizard. Just stick out your wand hand, step on board, and we can take you anywhere you want to go. My name is Stan Shunpike, your Driver is Ern, and I will be your conductor for this evening."

As he finished, he folded up the script he'd been reading, and looked up. He had been momentarily confused until he looked down, and saw Harry on the ground.

"Wha'cha doin' down there?" asked Stan.

"I fell over." said Harry.

"Choo fell over for?" sniggered Stan.

"I didn't do it on purpose." said Harry, already annoyed.

"You flagged us down didn't yeh?" said Stan.

"Yes.."

"Well come on aboard then. Let's not wait for the grass to grow." Stan said while dragging Harry aboard.

After paying his eleven Sickles for a ride to the Leaky Cauldron, Harry turned to see that there were no seats, but beds. It was his last thought before he was thrown face first into the nearest bed, as the Knight Bus took off at a "ludicrous speed" through the streets of Surrey, on it's way to The Leaky Cauldron, London.

"Won't the Muggles see us?" asked Harry.

"Muggles!" said Stan incredulously, "They don' see nuffink do they? They don' listen properly neither."

"I guess they don't."

Harry sat in silence for a few minutes, when he noticed Stan looking at him with a pensive expression.

"Wha' choo say you name was again?" he asked.

"I didn't," Harry replied, as he was forced to grab hold of the bed post, lest he fall over backward. "Neville - Neville Longbottom."

After a nauseating twenty minute ride through London at break neck speed, Stan finally called out "Next stop, The Leaky Cauldron!"

BANG!

Ern slammed on the brakes and the bus skidded to a halt in front of a shabby looking pub, The Leaky Caldron. Harry couldn't be more relieved to have made it there alive.

"Here we are. The Leaky Cauldron. Thank you for using the Knight Bus. Please ride with us again." said Stan as Harry shakily got to his feet.

"T-Tanks" Harry stammered as he stepped off the bus.

With a deafening bang, the bus was off to parts unknown, leaving Harry all alone in Charing Cross Road. Quickly donning his cloak, he made his way stealthily through the empty pub to the entrance for Diagon Alley.

Tapping the bricks in the correct order, he was soon making his way down toward Gringotts. At this hour, there were few shops open, but could see Daphne was right about Gringotts. The diversity of their clientele ensured they would be open for most if not all night, as some of their customers would probably have an aversion to daylight.

Making his way quickly up the steps, he was careful to reveal himself to the goblin guards before trying to enter, lest he be seen as a threat. Once inside, he found the nearest open teller.

''Yes?" snarled the disagreeable goblin.

"My name is Harry James Potter. I was wondering if there was some one I could talk to about my financial affairs."

"Do you have your vault key?" he was asked.

Pulling out his key, he placed it on the counter. The goblin picked it up and inspected it.

"This seems to be in order," he said, "Just one moment please."

He turned and walked quickly out of sight, returning moments later with a very familiar goblin.

"Mr. Potter, if you will follow me," said the second goblin.

Harry was lead through a long very ornate hallway with marble floors. Following the goblin, he soon found himself in an equally decadent office. Sitting behind the desk was a slightly plump goblin.

"Thank you Griphook." said Harry as the goblin turned to leave, much to his surprise.

Harry took a seat in front of Ragnok's desk.

"Gringotts welcomes you Mr. Potter. I am Ragnok, the Potter Family account manager and vault keeper." the goblin introduced himself.

"Thank you Ragnok. May your gold always flow, and your enemies be crushed." said Harry. It didn't hurt to show a bit of respect. He learned a bit of that from Daphne.

He saw Ragnok straighten up in his seat ever so slightly.

"What can Gringotts do for you?" said Ragnok.

"I've recently been made aware that my family is supposedly an Ancient and Noble House. I'd like all relevant information in regards to that." said Harry.

"Of course," said Ragnok.

After a quick blood test confirmed Harry was whom he said he was, Ragnok snapped his fingers and a goblin, known to Harry walked through a side door and handed Ragnok a rather thick folder.

"While your parent's Will cannot be read until you reach the age of fifteen, as stipulated, this is a quick overview of your assets Mr. Potter. Your family vault currently holds one billion, seven-hundred million, four-hundred thirty-five thousand, three-hundred and twelve Galleons, forty-three Sickles, and twelve Knuts," said Ragnok, "You also hold several investments. Twelve percent shares in the Nimbus Broom Company, twenty-seven percent shares of Zonko's, seven percent in the Daily Prophet, and a controlling share of the Wizarding Wireless Network. There are also several properties, including a Manor in Wales, a property in Godric's Hollow, a villa in Southern France and flats in Muggle London and Hogsmeade. A thousand years builds up a lot in the way of interest." he finished with a chuckle.

Harry was thunderstruck. Never in his wildest dreams did he ever imagine so much wealth. He now understood what Dobby meant by making the Malfoys look like paupers. No wonder the little ferret-faced ponce has never teased him about money.

"As you can see Mr. Potter, your holdings are substantial. While you cannot claim your title of Lord, and Head of House until your fifteenth birthday, you do have some say in how your investments are handled. Are there any changed you'd like to make to your portfolio?" said Ragnok.

"N-No Ragnok. I trust Gringotts to continue to manage my affairs. Thank you." stammered Harry.

"Mr. Potter if there is anything Gringotts can do for you in the future do not hesitate to ask."

"Thank you Keeper of the Vaults. May your gold always flow." said Harry with a slight bow.

X x x x x x x x x x

Harry's trip to Gringotts had been brief, yet very enlightening. He was going to come into his titles at age fifteen? 'Why hadn't anyone told him about this?' he thought to himself.

Having some time to think over what he'd learned, he wrote a letter to Daphne the next morning, describing what he'd been told. He had his suspicions as to why this information had been withheld from him, he just wanted to get another perspective on things. It simply would not do, if he came to resent Dumbledore. He was willing to give the barmy old codger the benefit of the doubt. He just hoped it wouldn't come back to haunt him.

It was after dark when he'd received his reply from Daphne.

_Dearest Harry,_

_I was feeling a bit glum until I found your gorgeous owl waiting for me in my room with another letter. It made my day. _

_I'm not at all surprised about the extent of your family's wealth or that Professor Dumbledore hadn't mentioned it to you. I think I have to agree with you, that it wouldn't really have made a difference until you reached the age where you could claim your titles as Lord and Head of House Potter. _

_I do think that he would have told you when the time came. He isn't a bad man. I asked mum about it, and she said that Dumbledore has his heart in the right place, but from what she knows about him, he tends to not see the forest for the trees. He seems to forget the individuals, and places the "Greater Good" above all else. He also keeps things very close to the vest._

_I'm sure if you ask him about it, he would give you the same answer. There isn't anything you can do right now, so just sit back and wait. When the time comes, you can use your titles and influence for the betterment of the Wizarding World. And with an ally like Dumbledore, a lot of things would be possible._

_Don't lose faith in Dumbledore, my heart. I see how he looks at you. He cares for you very much. I'd say take the opportunity to have a sort of grandfather/grandson type of relationship. I hear he was very close to your parents, and I know family is your heart's desire._

_My parents tell me they do not believe that the Dark Lord is dead, and that he will return one day. Ever since I first wrote them about our friendship, they've been preparing us for what they call, the inevitable. They whole heartedly approve of my association with you, so there isn't going to be a problem there._

_I hope I can see you before the start of term. I've asked my parents if it would be agreeable to have you visit for a week or two this summer, and they've said yes. They are actually looking forward to meeting you, as I don't have too many friends, except Tracy, and Blaise. I've told them about our friendship, and they are trust worthy. I've known them almost my entire life. _

_Let me know when you can make a break from Durzkaban. We'll make arrangements to pick you up when you are able. By the way, have you heard from that house elf you freed? _

_That was a very noble thing you did for him. Typical Gryffindor. Until I see you again, my heart is with you._

_Yours Always,_

_Daphne._

_P.S. Try not to get into _too_ much trouble. I don't want to hear that you turned your aunt into a balloon or something. Oh, and if you want to get your horrid relatives to sign your Hogsmeade permission form, tell them it's a permission allowing the teachers to administer corporal punishment. I know those gits would sign it before they read it. _

The letter made Harry's heart soar. He didn't know why, it simply did. Knowing at least _someone _in this world cared about him. Even the Dursleys didn't seem to bring down his mood. She agreed with his assessment of Dumbledore. He hadn't felt anything ill will from the old man, and usually his intuition was pretty reliable.

He would just have to ask him about it. Quickly writing a letter to Dumbledore asking about the whole situation, leaving out any of his suspicions as to why he hadn't been told, he send it off with Hedwig the next morning after she had rested up a bit.

The next morning he had gotten his reply.

_Harry, _

_I must say I was pleasantly surprised to receive your letter. I must say I am somewhat disappointed that you wandered off by yourself. Next time, I ask you to please contact me so that I may arrange an escort for you. It would give this old man piece of mind._

_As to your inquiry about your inheritance; I felt that there wouldn't have been any point in telling you until you reached the age of fifteen, and could claim your birthright. I see now that it had been a mistake. I hope you don't look upon me too badly, and I am sorry I didn't tell you before. If there is anything else you wish to know, simply ask, and if I am able, I shall answer._

_I shall see you on the first of September. Have a pleasant summer._

_Sincerely,_

_Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore, _

_Order of Merlin First Class, Grand Sorcerer, Chief Warlock, Supreme Mugwump, International Confederation of Wizards._

"Geez! Does he have to sign that whole damn thing every time he writes a letter?" Harry asked himself out loud.

Looking over at Hedwig he sighed, "Well, I was right, and so was Daphne. Now I just have to make it past Aunt Marge's visit. Oh joy." he finished with mock enthusiasm, throwing himself back onto his bed.

X x x x x x x x x x

August 9rd.

Today was Daphne's birthday. Harry had owl ordered her a gift. A small sapphire pendant in white gold. He like the blue because it reminded him of her eyes. He'd sent it along with Hedwig the day before, with instructions to deliver it to her at midnight. Daphne's response letter that morning had been ecstatic. Instead of her usual neat handwriting, she had written in a hurried scrawl. She'd gushed over the gift.

It made him feel… complete.. Is the best way he could describe it.

His good mood lasted a while. Even knowing Aunt Marge would be arriving later today couldn't dampen his spirits. He'd already taken Daphne's advice and lied to Uncle Vernon as to the purpose of the permission form. It had worked out just as planned. When he told Daphne her plan had worked, she had been happy that he was going to be allowed Hogsmeade visits, but she was seething that his relatives would knowingly sign something that supposedly would cause him more pain.

He had grown a few inches over the summer, and now stood at a respectable five foot nine inches. Tall for his age indeed. He couldn't wait to see Daphne again. She had become his best friend in such a short time. While he cared deeply for Hermione, what he felt for Daphne was some how different. Hermione was like a slightly older sister. He had been overjoyed that she had gotten him a Broom-stick Servicing Kit. Daphne had sent him a dragonhide forearm wand holster, and a very smart looking cloak with the Potter coat of arms embroidered onto the left breast. He was disappointed that he and Ron had seemed to drift apart. While Ron did write him about his family's trip to Egypt, and had gotten a Pocket Sneak-o-Scope, there was still a distance that could be felt, even in letters.

Another notable event this summer was the escape of a deranged killer Named Sirius Black. It had been all over the news. Harry found it amusing how his Aunt Petunia had looked out the window when it was announced, as if Black would be taking a casual stroll down Privet Drive. Idiots.

It was almost time for Marge's arrival. He detested the woman. She had allowed her stupid mutt, Ripper, to attack him several times. He still carried the scars on his legs. The damn animal had treed him once. He still thought of that day with shame.

The sound of his Uncle's car pulling into the drive brought him out of his musings. It was a rainy day.

"Appropriate," he said to no one in particular.

Turning to Hedwig, he said, "Better be out from underfoot girl. It's best you spend as little time here. Maybe you could go stay with Daphne while Marge is here."

It sounded like a good idea. Quickly pulling out a sheet of parchment he wrote a hasty note to her asking if she could watch Hedwig until his Aunt left. Putting it in a weather-proof envelope, he attacked it to Hedwig, and sent her on her way.

He just hoped he could make it though this hell that was Aunt Marge.

X x x x x x x x x x x

'Get the door!" spat Petunia.

Feeling a knot in his stomach, he pulled open the front door.

On the threshold stood Aunt Marge. The bitch was almost exactly like Uncle Vernon, only female.

As she entered the house she looked upon Harry with distain. In one hand she held a suit-case, and tucked under the other, was her evil-tempered Bulldog.

She immediately asked for her "Dudders".

The fat pig was sitting in front of the telly, stuffing his gob as usual. When Mage straightened up she once again caught Harry in her sights.

"Oh you're still here are you?" she said with a sneer.

"Yes," said Harry as if it was the most obvious thing in the world, which it was, seeing as he was standing right there. Idiot woman.

"Don't say 'Yes!' me in that ungrateful tone boy!" Marge said with malice. 'You're lucky your Uncle is so generous, in letting you stay here."

Turning to Vernon she continued, "He'd have been straight to the orphanage if he'd have been left on my doorstep."

The bitch.

The days seemed to drag on. Aunt Marge, like his Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia, seemed to take great glee in constantly criticizing him at ever opportunity. The only thing that had gotten him through was the thought of Daphne. It had gotten him this far, however, ten days after Marge's arrival, Harry's patience finally snapped.

It was dinner time, and Harry was thinking longingly about life at Number Four with out the stupid twat.

On that night they had just finished dinner, and Harry was beginning the clean up. Marge'd had a bit to drink after the meal was done. Harry had heard 'round from the twins that there were three kinds of drinkers; the 'I love all you guys" drunk, the quiet drunk, and the arsehole drunk. Marge was an arsehole.

She had been going on and on all through out dinner about what made Harry such an unsatisfactory person, and was beginning to slur her words.

Harry rolled his eyes as he continued cleaning.

"Where did you say the boy went to school again Vernon?" said Marge.

"St. Brutus'," said Vernon.

"Hmm, you boy," Marge began, looking at Harry. "Do they use a cane at St. Brutus'?"

Vernon looked at him pleadingly.

"Oh! Oh yeah," said Harry. "I've been beaten loads of times, mm-hmm." he finished with a nod of his head.

Marge narrowed her eyes.

"I don't like your tone runt." she said, "If you speak of your beatings in such a casual way, they clearly aren't hitting you hard enough."

"You mustn't blame yourself for the way the boy turned out Vernon," she said, spilling a bit of Brandy on her blouse. "If there is something rotten inside, there isn't anything you can do about it. It's all about blood, bad blood. What it is the boy's father did for a living?"

"Oh he didn't," Petunia said quickly, "He was unemployed."

"And a drunk too no doubt." Marge scoffed.

His temper finally getting to him, Harry said, "That's a lie!" the irony of the comment was not lost on him.

"What did you say?"

"My dad wasn't a drunk!" said Harry with heat trying desperately to reign in his temper.

Suddenly the brandy glass Marge had been holding in her fat digits shattered, startling Petunia and Vernon.

"Don't worry, don't fuss Petunia," said Marge with a chuckle, "I've got a very firm grip!"

Turning to Harry, "You boy, clean it up," she said with a snap of her fingers.

Grudgingly, Harry grabbed a hand towel and cleaned up the broken glass and spilled alcohol.

"Actually, it's nothing to do with the father," she opened her fat mouth again, "It's all got to do with the mother."

Looking over at Harry she continued, "You see it all the time with dogs. If there's something wrong with the bitch, then there's something wrong with the pup."

At this, Harry finally lost it. "Shut up! Shut up!" he shouted, "I'm glad I'm not from your stock, or I'd have a fat an arse as you, you bitch!"

The lights began flickering, and a breeze began blowing from an unknown source, as Harry's magic flared.

"Right! Now see here boy-" she never finished the thought, because at that moment, she began to swell like a balloon.

"MARGE!" yelled Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia as Aunt Marge's body began to rise out of her chair and up to the ceiling.

Harry couldn't believe his eyes. 'I didn't think she could get any more round," he thought.

As Marge began drifting out of the patio door, Vernon trying desperately to bring her back down, while Ripper bit his ankle, Harry tore from the dining room.

Escape! He had to escape. He was surely going to be expelled for using magic once again. Quickly throwing open his trunk, he hastily began throwing all of his possessions in hap-hazardly. Lifting up the loose floorboard in his room, he grabbed his pillow case full of his books and birthday presents. Throwing them into his trunk, he slammed the lid closed and seized Hedwig's cage.

Dashing back downstairs he was accosted by a purple faced Vernon.

"YOU BRING HER BACK! YOU BRING HER BACK NOW, AND YOU PUT HER RIGHT!" he bellowed.

'No! She deserved it!" Harry said, breathing very fast, as if he'd just run a mile. "The bitch deserved what she got."

Vernon lunged, only to have Harry's wand pointed straight at his face. Vernon immediately cowered back.

"You keep away form me!" Harry shouted.

"You're not allowed to use magic outside of school!" said Vernon.

"Yeah? Try me!" challenged Harry.

"They won't let you back no boy! You've nowhere to go."

"I don't care! Any where's better than here!" and with that Harry Potter marched out onto the street.

X x x x x x x x x x

A/N: There you have it. The beginning of POA. I had some fun writing this. It took quite a bit longer to write.

A/N: # 2. It was pointed out to me, in a very rude way, that there were a handful of errors in spelling and grammar. Well, I originally explained in the note above, that I had been piss drunk when I wrote this chapter. I reckon it's a passable chapter, considering I could hardly see straight let alone walk when I wrote this. So if you're going to add your criticisms, don't be a dick-face.


	8. Padfoot, Daphne, and Demented Dementors

Note; I don't own Harry Potter etc. etc. Also, I found the perfect representation of Merlin's wand, as well as Daphne's. Harry and Moldyshorts' wands are still exactly as seen in movies 4 and 5.

Google Whirlwood magic wands. Under magic wands/story teller hidden chamber wands, there is one called the Headmaster. It's suppose to be their take on the Elder wand, but I think it would do well as a representation of the Wand of Merlin, only the colouring was originally, a more faded blue-grey.

Daphne's wand would be under the sixpenny wands. Hers would be the Green Lantern Magic Wand: "A wand for the idealist, the visionary, the believer in dreams." Or The Bella wand: "A wand for the Enchantress who is dedicated in loyalty and love." Which I believe she is both in this story.

On with the Show!

Chapter Seven

Padfoot, Daphne, and the Demented Dementor.

"You've gone and Bollixed it now," Harry said to himself as he sat on the curb of a darkened street.

Not only was he going to be in trouble with the Ministry, but he had run off on his own. And so he sat, alone on a deserted street, in the middle of Little Winging. His thoughts turned to Daphne.

"Oh no…" he moaned. "She is not going to be happy about this at all."

Now he had to figure out what to do. Should he just get to the Leaky Cauldron, sneak into Diagon Alley, and withdraw a large sum of gold and go on the lam? Should he make his way to Daphne? The problem with that plan was that he didn't know exactly where Greengrass Manor was located. He new it was in the Lake District, but not much else.

Suddenly he felt a presence directly in front of him. Standing up quickly, drawing his wand, he looked into the bushes across the lane. While he couldn't see anything, he was certain there was somebody there. He felt as though he were being watched.

Slowly he saw a dark shape make it's way out of the bushes to stand on the open sidewalk, opposite Harry. It was a very large black dog. Fear passed through Harry momentarily, but soon it passed as he realized the dog wasn't going to hurt him. He still kept his wand in his hand, just in case.

He didn't feel any evil temperament that that he felt from his Aunt Marge's mutt Ripper, but something did feel off about the animal.

"Are there such things as magical dogs?' he thought to himself.

A soft whine brought him out of his musings. Feeling suddenly sorry for the dog; for it looked terribly underfed, he opened his trunk and brought out a mincemeat pie that Mrs. Weasley had sent him.

The dog's interest seemed to peak. It looked upon Harry in curiosity, as Harry softly beckoned for him to come closer.

"Come on," said Harry. " Come on, I'm not gunna hurt you."

Slowly, the dog made it's way across the street, as Harry held out the pie. The dog's mouth seemed to water as it sniffed the pie on Harry's hand.

"Go ahead boy." Harry said encouragingly. "It's alright. I reckon you're pretty hungry."

Quickly snatching the pie from Harry's hand, the large black dog made short work of it, seemingly inhaling the meal. When it looked up again, Harry had another in his hand. When it was offered to him, he devoured the delicious pastry as well.

When he was done, the dog drew closer to Harry and licked his hand in thanks.

Sitting down, Harry looked at the dog with a smile, as his black furred companion, sat back on it's haunches, staring at him intently. Slowly Harry reached out a hand, palm up to show the dog he meant no harm, until the dog sniffed, then licked it, which allowed Harry to begin petting the stray animal.

"Well boy," he began. "I seemed to have royally screwed myself over. I blew my Aunt Marge up like a balloon, and made a run for it."

Looking around Harry realized he hadn't received any owls from the Ministry telling him he'd been expelled. It gave him a little hope that all might not be lost.

Looking over at the large dog he said, "You don't - feel, like a normal dog. It's almost as if you were magical. I don't know of any magical dogs other than that great big Cerberus Hagrid has."

Standing up Harry looked down at his companion, he stretched his legs to restore blood flow. Luckily, they hadn't fallen sleep completely.

"Too bad I can't take you with me," he began, "but I've got to find a place to stay. My best friend-" he paused with a smile, "Well, I reckon she's going to be pretty irritated with me for wandering off on my own when there is a deranged killer on the loose."

Harry let out a chuckle.

"You better run along now," he said. "I've got to catch a bus."

The poor dog let out a pitiful whine.

"I know, I know, and I'm sorry." he said sadly, "but I can't take you with me. I don't know if dogs are allowed at Hogwarts."

Another whine.

"Maybe I'll see you around next summer," said Harry. "If you're careful not to get caught."

"Well, I must be off." he said. "I'll see you around boy. Take care."

With that, raised his wand into the air to summon the Knight Bus.

BANG!

Suddenly, said bus rolled to a stop in front of Harry.

Again, Stan was leaning causally against the handrail, looking down at a piece of paper.

"Welcome to The Knight Bus. Emergency Transport for the stranded witch or Wizard-"

"Stan!" interrupted Harry. "It's me. I already know."

Looking up Stan recognized the boy he knew as "Neville".

"Oh!" said the pimple faced boy in surprise. "Let's get a move on then. On you go!"

Looking back down as he boarded, Harry saw that his black furred friend had gone. With a sigh, he heaved himself up the final step.

With a loud bang, the Bus was gone, leaving the large black dog, watching from the bushes were he had previously been hiding.

X x x x x x x x

The next morning found Harry looking out of the window of his room at the Leaky Cauldron, which had a spectacular view of a Muggle service alley. He reflected on the events of the night before.

He'd blown up his Aunt; made a run for it, met a lovable, yet pitiful looking stray, and rode the Knight Bus as break neck speeds though greater London, yet again.

To his surprise, he was met, by the Minister of Magic, when he arrived at the old pub. Instead of having him arrested, he'd been told that his Aunt had been found, punctured, and had her memory 'Properly Modified'. Not only that, since it had been a case of accidental magic, he wasn't in any trouble.

The Minister seemed much more worried than anything else. When asked why, he simply said there was "a killer on the loose." When he had asked the bumbling Minister what it had to do with him, he evaded the question.

'There is something more going on here.' he thought to himself. 'I hate when people think they have to keep information from me.'

Letting out a deep breath, he looked over at the empty perch in his room. He was pleasantly surprised that Hedwig was in his room waiting for him. The bar keep 'Tom' had explained that she had arrived not five minutes before he had.

Harry had immediately began doting on his familiar, telling her how clever she was. He had missed her the four previous days he'd had to endure his Aunt Marge.

Early this morning he'd sent her off to Daphne, with a letter explaining everything that had happened, and where he was. He grimaced.

"She's likely to hex my bits off for being so reckless." he said to himself.

With one last look down a Muggle London, he turned and grabbed his birthday gift from Hagrid, The Monster Book of Monsters, and threw himself onto his bed to read. He had it secured in one of his Uncle's old belts. The night he received it, the stupid thing tried to eat his face. He'd written back to Hagrid, thanking him for the gift, but also asking how on earth was he ever suppose to read the damn thing, if it was going to try to make a meal out of him every time.

Hagrid's response had been sheepish. He apologized for forgetting to explain how to open it. All he had to do was stroke the spine, and the book would become docile and fall open like a regular book. Why on earth anyone would charm a book to be so needlessly vicious, was beyond him.

X x x x x x x x x

It was after lunch at the Leaky Cauldron, the crowd had just died down and there were only about a dozen witches and wizards sitting around, when the floo roared to life. A short figure, wearing a cloak of midnight blue with the hood drawn, stepped gracefully from the green flames, and marched straight up the wooden stairs to rooms above.

An old wizard sitting at a table alone had seen the arrival of the unknown person. He seemed to be the only one who noticed their arrival. The person was obviously female, and by the looks of things, whom ever she was here to see, was in trouble. His many years of marriage before his wife passed away, had taught him a thing or to about the fairer sex.

The old wizard chuckled softly to himself as he returned to his tea.

X x x x x x x x x

Harry had dozed off while he'd been reading his third year defense textbook. He had gone out into Diagon Alley that morning, taking his Nimbus 2000 to the Quality Quidditch Supplies shop for a tune up, in preparation for the upcoming season. He'd noticed that it's handling was slightly sluggish at the end of the previous year. Probably with all the abuse it's taken during his matches.

He'd first noticed that several twigs on the broom's tail had been broken, as he polished the Nimbus soon after he received his gift from Hermione. While at the Quidditch shop, he'd seen the new Firebolt in the window display, and had spent over an hour goggling over it. Price on demand put him off a bit. While he knew he had more than enough wealth, he still had a perfectly good broom. Still, he couldn't help give the Firebolt once last look before leaving.

He'd taken lunch at the Leaky Cauldron, and had gone back up to his room for a bit of a read, soon nodding off, face down, using the open book as a pillow. As such, he was completely unaware of the very angry witch who had just arrived at his door, while he dreamt of Firebolts, chocolate frogs, and a certain witch with honey coloured hair and deep blue eyes. He was thirteen after all.

A loud knocking woke him from his slumber. Quickly grabbing his wand, he cautiously approached the door.

"Who is it?" he asked.

"Open the door now!" came a very feminine voice.

He recognized that voice anywhere. With a smile he quickly flung the door open, and came face to face with the pair of blue eyes he'd just recently been dreaming of. His smile faded as he realized those blue eyes were very angry.

He found himself shoved back into the room, and the door slammed closed behind him. He tried regaining his footing, but was shoved into a sitting position on the edge of his bed.

"HARRY JAMES POTTER!" shouted Daphne, hands on her hips. "Of all the stupid idiotic and reckless…"

She broke off and began pacing in front of him, her eyes never leaving his.

"I cannot believe you simply wandered off on your own!" she continued. " With a killer on the loose! If you needed somewhere to go, you should have contacted me. We'd have gladly come to get you."

Harry hung his head in shame. The air seemed to swirl around Daphne. An unseen wind causing her hair to flutter slightly, her eyes blazing.

"I-I didn't think." he said lamely.

"Obviously!" she said, now crossing her arms over her chest. "You had a bit of accidental magic. They weren't going to kick you out or arrest you over that. Half of the Wizarding world would be in Azkaban if that were the case. I accidentally turned my sister's hair orange last summer when she wouldn't stop bugging me. It was quite funny, but that sort of thing happens all the time until we are magically mature."

Still looking down me mumbled, "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to worry you."

Her anger had already faded when she recounted what had happened with her sister's hair. She approached him slowly. Without thinking, she sat in his lap, and drew him into a hug, pulling his head to her chest, and resting her cheek on the top of his head.

"Don't do that again okay?" she said, voice quivering slightly. " I know what your life was like before Hogwarts, but you're not alone anymore. You have me, and I'll do anything to help you."

"I know," he mumbled. Taking comfort in her embrace. "Thank you."

She simply held him a bit tighter, breathing in his scent, eyes closed. She'd been angry at him for doing something so rash. Worried at how he could have been easily caught and murdered by Sirius Black. Now she simply reveled in the feeling of being in his arms. Of knowing he was safe, and seeing it with her own two eyes. She gently placed a kiss on the top of his head.

X x x x x x x x x

Arianna Greengrass couldn't help but smile. Near the end of lunch, the beautiful snowy owl, whom had spent several days at their manor, flew into the window, and perched herself on the back of the chair beside Daphne. She knew the gorgeous creature belong to her daughter's friend Harry Potter.

As her eldest read the letter delivered by the majestic bird, she could see a range of emotions crossing Daphne's face. When she was done reading the letter, her daughter had told her flat out, that she was going to see her friend at the Leaky Cauldron to give him a piece of her mind, for being so stupid for wandering off on his own when there was a killer on the loose. Seeing determination, anger, as well as the underlying fear in her daughter's eyes, she couldn't say no.

With a chuckled she thought to herself, "The boy is in deep trouble."

Ariana knew what her daughter felt for the boy, even if she didn't yet realize it herself. Her daughter had written about becoming Harry Potter's friend the previous school year. She wrote of him in nearly every letter, and in each missive, she spoke of him almost lovingly, as if he were a long lost treasure she had found. Oh yes, her daughter was in love.

Smiling to herself, Arianna began making mental preparations for a wedding. It was years away no doubt, but she couldn't help but dream.

X x x x x x x x x x x

It was lunch time on the last day of the summer holidays before the start term. Ron and Hermione had finally made an appearance not an hour before. Harry was glad to be with his friends again, even if he already did miss Daphne. She'd come by the Alley a few more times to visit with him. Usually they had just wandered around the various shops. A few times they'd had close calls with some Slytherins. The few older Griffs they saw, didn't seem to care either way. They simply said hello to the unlikely pair, and went along with their business.

Harry, Ron, and Hermione had just gotten back to the pub, Ron and Hermione had been bickering the entire time. Hermione's new cat, Crookshanks, had tried to eat Scabbers. Harry found it immensely funny.

"I'm warning you Hermione. Keep that bloody beast of yours away from Scabbers or I'll turn it into a tea cosy." Ron said heatedly, as they sat down at a table for a late lunch.

"He's a cat Ronald. What do you expect? It's in his nature." Hermione responded in exacerbation.

"A cat?" said Ron incredulously. "Is that what they told you? Looks more like Pansy Parkinson with fur if you ask me!"

"That's rich coming from the owner of _that _smelly old shoe brush!" she responded.

Harry had to stifle a laugh into his drink. Hermione saw him, and smiled slightly. Fortunately, Ron hadn't noticed as he was too busy with Scabbers.

"It's alright Crookshanks," Hermione cooed the rather large ginger cat. 'You just ignore the mean little boy."

At that moment the rest of the Weasleys re-entered the pub.

"Harry!" Mr. Weasley called out. "How are you?" he asked as the family joined the trio.

"Fine, thanks," Harry said, as his lunch served to him by a rather attractive middle-aged witch, who winked at him as she walked away.

"So they still haven't caught Black then?" Harry asked when he noticed the news paper Mr. Weasley placed on the table when he sat down.

"No they haven't," he said gravely. "In fact, they've pulled many of us off out normal jobs to help find him."

"Would we get a reward for catching Black?" asked Ron. "it'd be good to get some more money-"

"Don't be ridiculous Ronald," said Mrs. Weasley. "Black's not going to be caught by a thirteen year old wizard. It's the guards of Azkaban who'll bring him in."

Mrs. Weasley turned to Harry.

"Hello Harry dear," she said "it's so good to see you."

She then proceeded to nearly squeeze him to death by hugging him. When she let go, and began fussing over his hair, Harry decided he like Daphne's hugs much better. At east she didn't try to kill him.

Percy, Harry learned, had been named Head Boy. He wasn't surprised. Percy did seem quite a stickler for the rules.

Ginny, it seemed, was even more embarrassed to be around him since he saved from the Chamber last year. She had gone very red when she muttered "hello" with out looking at him. It made him rather uncomfortable, and he'd stammered a greeting in return. Percy on the other hand, had been pompous in his greeting. It was as if they'd never met before.

"Hello Percy," Harry said trying not to laugh when he noticed Percy's Head Boy badge had been charmed to say "Gives Head, Boys". Harry snuck a look at the twins, whom had just stood up to make their way toward him, smiling widely and looking rather proud of themselves. Ginny kept giggling into her hand as she glanced at Percy.

"I hope you're well?" said Percy in his usual pompous way.

"Very well thanks-"

"Harry!" said Fred, elbowing Percy out of the way and bowing deeply. "Simply _splendid_ to see you again, old boy-"

"Marvelous," said a monocle wearing George, shoving Fred out of the way and seizing Harry's hand . "Absolutely _spiffing_ that you're here!"

"Right! Tut tut and cheerio!" finished Fred pretending to puff on a muggle plastic toy pipe. Harry nearly lost it as bubbles of various colours were blown form the pipe.

Percy scowled behind them.

Dinner was very enjoyable. Harry learned that the twins had tried to lock Percy up in a pyramid, much to Mrs. Weasley's displeasure. They claimed their ears had been tender ever since their mother had grabbed them and dragged them back to their rooms for a proper shouting. They told him that Percy's badge was also charmed so that every time Percy or their mother looked at it, it till looked normal. Percy had been rather confused by all the snickers he'd gotten through out the day. Harry couldn't wait to see Professor McGonagall's reaction.

Near the end of dinner, Mr. Weasley had taken Harry aside, and had explained to him how Sirius Black had likely escaped from prison to come after the one who defeated his master. He urged Harry to be careful, and to not go looking for Black. It left Harry feeling uneasy, as Mr. Weasley had implied that Black was out to murder him.

Xx x x x x x x x

The next day, after a mad dash for the train, as usual for the Weasley family, the trio wandered the length of the train searching for a compartment. Harry caught a brief glance at Daphne, who'd been sitting in a compartment midway through the train with her friends Tracy Davis and Blaise Zabini. Since Harry brought up the rear of the trio, neither Ron or Hermione saw Harry exchange respectful nods with Tracey and Blaise and a bright smile with Daphne.

They'd gone the entire length of the train, reaching the last compartment.

"Come on," said Hermione, "Everywhere else if full." leading them into the compartment, occupied only by a shabbily dressed man, whom appeared to be sleeping.

"Who's that?" Ron asked pointing at the sleeping man as he took his seat.

"R.J. Lupin." answered their resident bookworm.

"You know everything." Ron said incredulously. "How is it she knows everything?" he finished looking at Harry.

"It's on his suitcase Ronald." she said with a sigh, pointing at the battered looking case in the overhead bin.

"Oh."

Harry looked over at the sleeping man. "Do you think he's really asleep?" he asked.

"Seems to be. Why?" responded Hermione.

Getting up and shutting the compartment door Harry said, "I need to tell you guys something."

X x x x x x x x x x

Hours later, as the train thundered down the tracks on it's way to Hogwarts the trio all found themselves in quiet contemplation. The weather quickly turned severe as the ploughed northward, rain beating on the compartment window, thunder rumbling in the distance.

They had tried to fill their time with lighter subjects, and even sweets, but thoughts inevitably returned to Sirius Black. Ron was busy thinking about the glory he would receive if he caught Black. Hermione was very worried. Not for herself, but for Harry. She cared for Harry deeply, and was afraid for him. It's not everyday you learn that some one is out to murder the boy you fancy. Harry was just hoping he could make it through another year with out being murdered.

'Fuck my life.' he though miserably as he looked out the darkened window.

"They'll catch Black won't they?" said Hermione suddenly, startling Harry form his thoughts. "I mean everyone's looking for him."

"Sure," said Ron, "Only… No one's ever broken out of Azkaban before, and he's a murderous raving lunatic." he finished with a sheepish look at Harry.

"Thank Ron." said Harry sarcastically. "Makes me feel loads better."

Suddenly, with a great lurch forward, the train began to slow.

"What's happening?" said Harry, as the sound of the screeching brakes caused him to wince slightly.

"I don't know," said Hermione. "We can't be there yet."

Finally, the train jerked to a stop.

"Maybe we've broken down?" said Ron stupidly.

"Honestly Ronald." said Hermione. "It's a magical train. It can't break down. They've obviously stopped deliberately for some reason."

The lights began to flicker for a few seconds, before every compartment on the train was dark.

Looking out the window Ron said, "Some one's out there. I think they're coming aboard."

The temperature began dropping rapidly. The windows frosted over, and each breath fogged. After several tense moments of waiting, a large cloaked dark figure was seen creeping slowly from the back of the train, stopping in front of their compartment.

Harry began hearing faint screams in the back of his head, his mind becoming foggy. A second identical cloaked figure soon joined the first in front of Harry's compartment. Slowly the door slid open, and the creature drifted in.

The screams in Harry's head were getting louder, but he could also see things in his mind's eye.

_Battling the Basilisk._

_Seeing Ginny's lifeless body on the cold wet floor._

_A flash of green light that sometimes haunted his dreams._

_A blond haired woman, holding him in her arms as she wept._

_Hermione lying in the hospital wing petrified._

_A scream. "Please! Not Harry! Take me instead!" came the frantic voice of a woman._

"_Stand aside you silly girl!" a cold voice answered._

Just as his vision began going black, a bolt of fire shot from the front of the train and hit the second creature. Suddenly the man who had been sleeping for the entire trip, shot to his feet and shouted "_EXPECTO PATRONUM!"_

A bright white light erupted form his wand, and it drove the first dark creature back. Harry acting on instinct, drew his wand. He took aim shakily, and cried in a strained voice "Incendio!" a bolt of flames shot from the tip of his wand and hit the creature in the face.

More bolts of fire shot passed, hitting the dark figures, and along with what ever this, R.J. Lupin was doing, drove the vile things back down to the end of the hall and off the train.

Slumping over in his seat, the last thing Harry saw before darkness claimed him, was a short, decidedly feminine looking, cloaked figure behind Lupin firing one last spell and briefly setting one of the creatures on fire, before dashing back down the hall into the darkness.

X x x x x x

A/N: There you go. Another chapter up. I'd like to thank those who have been supportive, in particular N. Flamel. This story now has over 13,000 hits in only six and a half days. Twenty times what my other two stories have combined. Awesome! In the next chapter, the trio and Lupin wonder who the mysterious figure was who helped to drive off the Dementors. I bet you can guess though. I bet the Ministry isn't going to be happy when they find out that one of it's Dementors was set on fire, even if just for a moment. And more hilarity from Fred and George to come. I've also added to Chapter Six, birthday gifts from Daphne, as I forgot, in my drunkenness, to put them in.


	9. Start of Term Feast

A/N: Well, now that I've torn the idiots out there a new one, and listening to a lot of Pink Floyd and The Mars Volta, and even the song Green Onions, I've gotten a bit of motivation back. I was pretty angry at how needlessly rude some people could be, but the support from most of you (whom are obviously able to pick up the subtly I've written into the story) has spurred me forward, albeit at a diminished pace.  
In fact, my rant gave me an idea for what the Marauder's Map will say to old Snivellus when he taps his wand to it. Haha! XD

You'll have to wait and see. I couldn't stop laughing for ten minutes when I imagined Alan Rickman and Daniel Radcliff acting out the scene.

Chapter Eight

_He was standing on a hillside, in the moor. The sky was darkened by clouds of grey. The wind whipped around him._

_He could feel danger all round as he circled in place._

_Suddenly thundering cracks sounded all around him._

_He was surrounded._

_He felt fear, but did not let it show._

_A monstrous figure loomed closer, face covered by a grotesque mask resembling a demon._

_The young Myrddin stood firm, staff in his hand, ready to strike…._

_A maniacal laugh, a woman's screams…._

_A green flash…._

_Blackness…_

He could feel a soft hand caressing his face.

"Harry! Harry! Wake up!" he heard Hermione's voice, calling him softly.

When he opened his eyes, he could see the lights in the cabin were back on and the train in motion. He noticed that his head was cradled in Hermione's lap. Blushing bright red, he sat up quickly.

Looking around, he noticed Ron was not with them.

"Where's Ron?" he asked Hermione.

"He," she hesitated. "When the lights came back on, I saw you were unconscious, so I -"  
She looked away as she blushed, then continued. "I cradled your head on my lap, trying to wake you up to make sure you were alright. Ron got angry for some reason and left. That was ten minutes ago."

"What's his problem?" he asked confused.

"I have no idea." she replied.

Jumping up suddenly, she hurriedly picked up what appeared to be a large piece of chocolate wrapped in a napkin.

"Here," she said handing him the sweet. 'Professor Lupin said to eat this when you woke up."

Harry stared at her blankly.

"It's okay." she said softly. "It'll make you feel better. Trust me."

Harry had never really been a fan of chocolates, he preferred things like sugar quills and other assorted hard candies.

He did what she asked anyway. Hesitantly, he took a small nibble of the hunk of chocolate. Immediately, he began feeling warmth spreading though his body. Looking up at Hermione in surprise, he took another larger bite. Hermione simply smiled.

"So what was that thing?" he asked, looking fearfully out the compartment window, into the corridor.

"Professor Lupin said they were Dementors." she said, shivering slightly. "They're the guards of Azkaban. Apparently they were searching the train for Sirius Black."

Harry looked at her incredulously.

"That's rather stupid of them!" he said. " What, did they think Black might just be hiding under some one's robes?"

"I know Harry," said Hermione. "It was a foolish thing to do, especially with so many muggle-born first years on board. Imagine, being exposed to those vile creatures as your introduction into the Wizarding world. I wouldn't be surprised if half of them wrote their parents to withdraw them from school."

"Did you see how they were driven off?" he asked her.

"Some one in the corridor shot fire spells at them," she said. 'Then Professor Lupin made some kind of bright white light come out of his wand. They both somehow managed to drive them off."

She looked at him, before she continued, "You shot an incendio spell at the one in the doorway."

"Where is Professor Lupin?" he asked.

"He said he was going to talk to the driver, and look for whom ever it was that set the Dementor in fire." said Hermione. "It was definitely a she, couldn't have been any taller than I am. I wonder who it was?"

Harry looked back out the window to the corridor. He had a suspicion of who it was. It felt like their presence kept him conscious long enough for his wand to fart a spell at the Dementor.

He'd just have to wait until he saw her alone to see if his suspicions were correct.

X x x x x x x x x

Very soon, Harry found himself in the Great Hall after being fussed over by Madam Pomfrey, and Professor McGonagall. He was seated next to Hermione as the sorting finished. Looking down the length of the table, he spotted Ron seated with Dean and Seamus. He would occasionally glance over at Harry and Hermione and scowl.

Shaking his head, Harry looked around for the person he wanted to see the most. He found her seated directly across from him at the Slytherin table, as she always seemed to be. She had a mask of indifference on her face, except for when they made eye contact, she gave him a slight smile, before looking away again, mask firmly in place.

"Welcome!" said Dumbledore from behind his golden podium.  
"Welcome to another year at Hogwarts! Now, I have a few important announcements I'd like to make, before we all become to befuddled, by our excellent feast….."

Harry thought there was something…off about the Headmaster.

He tapped Hermione on the shoulder, "Does Dumbledore look different to you?" he said when she turned to look at him. " I don't know what it is, but he doesn't look quite the same this year."  
"I would have thought it was obvious what the difference was Harry," she said quietly.

He stared at her blankly.

"It's obvious he's gone with the fez this year instead of the pointy hat." said Hermione. "It looks like he's also gotten a new wardrobe as well."

"Oh!" said Harry. " You're right he-" his reply was cut off.

"Psst! Pssst!" came a sound from the Slytherin table. "Potter!"

It was Draco Malfoy, from a few seats down.

Looking over at him, Draco continued. "Is it true you fainted? You actually fainted?" he laughed as one of his snaggletooth cronies pretended to faint in a dramatic fashion, as Daphne sent a discrete glare in Draco's direction.

Though he wasn't seated in front of Harry, unfortunately for Draco, he was seated in front of Fred and George.

"This coming from the blond tosspot" began Fred.  
"Who wet himself while crying for daddy." finished George, as the students within earshot laughed. Draco's face was red with fury.

As he opened his mouth to retort "My-" he was cut off by Harry.

"-Father will hear about this!" Harry completed in a mocking tone. "Honestly Malfoy, you're such a child. Stop suckling on your father's breasts already."

Harry turned away as every Gryffindor with in earshot laughed, earning them a hard look from their head of house. He missed the gentle smile Daphne sent his way.

As the opening feast ended, Harry joined the mass of students waiting to exit the hall. As he walked, he felt a hand slip in and out of his robe pocket. Looking around casually, he didn't see Daphne near him, but Tracey Davis.

As he walked up the stairs to Gryffindor Tower, he made sure he was relatively alone before pulling the note out of his pocket. It read:

_Second classroom on the left, third floor corridor, midnight._

_D._

He looked at his watch, 9:33.

With a smile, he made his way to the tower and up to his dorm to prepare for his meeting with Daphne.

Unbeknownst to Harry, but knownst to us; a pair of whiskey coloured eyes that belong to a certain bushy haired witch, had been walking behind him, trying to catch up, and had seen him pull the note from his pocket, and check his watch before he rushed off to the tower.

She was going to have to see what Harry was up to, and maybe try to follow him and see where he goes tonight.

A/N: There you have it. It was much shorter than the rest. I'm wondering if anyone caught the references to a couple of movies I've placed in two chapters, this one included. Ten points for each correct reference found, you must state your house. lol


	10. Who'd Have Foreseen Us Getting Caught?

Note: Thank you all for the support once again. No one has yet to find the references to two other comedies in this story. I've give you guys until I write the next chapter after this one, then I.. guess I'll have to point them out. Also, this story is NOT going to be a Harry/Multi story. While I am a fan of H/Hr, and H/GW, H/Multi fics tend to get rather silly. Hermione will NOT be paired with Ron. She is simply too good for him. Why the hell would she fall in love with some one who belittles, and criticizes her every chance they get? Ron has won the "Git of the Year" award seven years straight, and managing triple awards in year 4,6, and 7 with "Jealous Twat" and the "Abandonment" awards. So, yeah. On with the show.

Chapter Nine.

Who'd Have Foreseen Us Getting Caught?

Fred and George were perfectly….erm…. abnormal…thank you very much. They didn't waste too much time with frivolous things such as revising, OWLs, homework, or even class work.

No, they spent their time on important things, such as; pranking, snogging the attractive unattached birds of Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, and Hufflepuff, developing new and creative spells, hexes, potions, and the like. All for a good laugh of course.

Like their latest venture; charming all the suits of armour on the first, second, and fourth floors to shout obscenities whenever an adult walks by, and applying permanent sticking charms on Filch's office door. They were every bit the pranksters. Always expecting the unexpected. Few things have ever surprised them or caught them unaware. Except tonight.

They saw something most unusual and unexpected, as they inspected their "Trade Secret" the Marauder's Map, on their way back to Gryffindor Tower at half twelve in the morning.

In a classroom in the unused third floor corridor, was none other than Harry Potter. That in of itself was not surprising. What was unexpected, was that he was in very close proximity to one, Daphne Greengrass. What's more, it seemed Hermione Granger was wandering the fourth floor in search of something, or someone.

Making a decision, they decided to intercept Granger. She wasn't in any danger of being caught out of bounds, the charms on Filch's door ensured that, but they had a suspicion that she wanted to know what everyone's (who matters anyway) favourite seeking Basilisk slayer was up to.

X x x x x x x x x x

Hermione was creeping through the fourth floor corridor. It was were she lost Harry. She had seen him throw on his invisibility cloak, almost as an after thought. It seemed he was too preoccupied with his destination to notice until the last moment that he had forgotten that important detail.

She had spent the last half hour searching for him, with no luck. Then the thought hit her.

"If he was meeting some one, then the logical place would be the unused third floor corridor!"

She felt like slapping herself for her moment of stupidity. She had just started down toward the stairway when she was grabbed and pulled into a dark alcove. She had no time too let out a startled yelp before a hand covered her mouth.

"Shh!" some one said.

Finally Fred stepped in front of her.

"Now, when George removes his hand from your mouth, do you promise not to yell at us?" he asked.

She nodded, and George removed his hand covering her mouth. She immediately started hitting every part of them she could reach with her fists while hissing, "You scare the day lights out of me you idiots!"

"Sorry about that Granger," Fred said,

"But if we had made any noise to get your attention, you would have probably yelled out anyway." finished George.

Shaking her head she asked, "What do you two scoundrels want?"

"You wound us Hermione!" Said George in mock hurt.

"We happen to be very lovable scoundrels," said Fred.

She tapped her foot impatiently, cocking an eyebrow at them, arms crossed.

"Look, we noticed you wandering around up here, and decided to see what you were up to." explained George.

"Why would you two care what I'm up to?" she asked.

"Well, if you were going to cause mischief,"

"We would've wanted in on it." they quipped.

"I wasn't going to cause trouble," she said with a frustrated sigh. "I was looking for "Harry. He gave me the slip."

"He's in the second classroom on the left of the third floor corridor" the twins said in unison.

"What? How do you know that?" she asked.

"Trade secret." said George.

"And you're not going to let me in on it?" she asked.

"Right," said Fred. (Thank you) *wink*

"It's not where he is so much as who he's with." George said.

Hermione felt her stomach drop. 'Could he be secretly seeing some one?' she thought to herself.

"Who is he with?" she asked.

The twins shared a look.

"Daphne Greengrass." they said in unison.

Hermione was shocked, to say the least.

"Daphne Greengrass?" she said incredulously. "As in 'Slytherin's Ice Princess' Daphne Greengrass?"

"One in the same," Fred began,

"Our dear resident bookworm." finished George.

"But why-" she trailed off.

Surely there wasn't anything romantic going on between them. 'Maybe he was in trouble.' she thought, panic coursing through her mind for a brief moment.

"There is only on way-" Fred said.

"-to find out." finished the other twin.

Turning back toward the hall, the twins made sure the coast was clear before making their way to the room Harry was in. The twins kept speculating that they were going to probably walk in on Harry snogging the attractive Slytherin. Much to the annoyance, and dread, of Hermione. She hoped it wasn't the case.

X x x x x x x x x x

Daphne and Harry sat quietly hold each other. He had been right. Daphne had indeed been the mysterious figure who had fired the first spells at the Dementors.

"I knew some how they would probably affect you more than any of us." She'd said.

He was glad she did. Who knows what would have happened if the horrid creature had been allowed one more moment. Professor Lupin seemed very affected as well as it had taken him some time to recover and finally mount a defence against them.

As to why she left so quickly she explained, "I couldn't let anyone know it was me. That would bring a lot of unwanted attention to me, especially from the Ministry, seeing as I 'attacked' their Dementors."

He'd told her what he had seen in his mind while under the effect of the creatures. Being surrounded by dozens of dark witches and wizards. The woman screaming. He'd figured out by then, that it could have only been his mother dying at the hands of Voldemort. He'd wept a little at the thought, as Daphne held him.

And so, here they were; witch and wizard, taking comfort in each other. Neither having said a word in over ten minutes. Simply being. It was what Daphne revelled in. With Harry she could be herself. She didn't need the façade of "Ice Princess" around him. It's one of the things that had drawn her to him to begin with.

He had broken through her defences as if they weren't even there. It was scary at first, but as time went by, and she had gotten to know him better, she found that she wouldn't have it any other way.

It has started in her first year. She had immediately become friends with Tracey and Blaise. Tracey was the more outgoing of the group seeing as she wasn't pressured nearly as much to join Malfoy and his band of sycophants. The David family isn't as old as her family, or even the Zabinis.

Blaise had also taken on the cold, aloof persona in an effort to separate himself from the pure-blood supremacists, just as she had. Her family has been historically neutral, save for a few idiots who joined whatever dark wizard was vying for power at any given time. Her idiot uncle Jeremiah Greengrass, her father's brother, had joined the Deatheaters in the last war. It was said that her father had been furious.

None of that mattered when she was with Harry, though both her parents knew, that her friendship with him would force them to announce what side they were really on, if the Dark Lord were to ever return. Something her father believed, even to this day.

Suddenly they both felt some one outside the door.

"Quick!" Harry whispered, "Under the cloak.!" he finished, throwing the invisibility cloak over them and crouching down to the ground, and drawing their wands.

Whoever was outside the door seemed to be waiting. Suddenly the pair felt their privacy wards go down, and the door burst open allowing the last three people Harry expected to see.

'What the hell are they doing here?' he thought to himself, giving an confused look to Daphne, who return the look in kind.

Harry could see Fred and George whisper to each other, and look in their direction, while Hermione was still scanning the room.

"Harry?" she called softly. George leaned over and whispered into her ear while subtly pointing in the general direction if Harry and Daphne.

Approaching slowly Hermione called out. "Harry. I know your there with Daphne Greengrass, and that you're not in any danger. You might as well come out now."

Looking at each other in surprise for a moment, before resigning themselves to the inevitable, Harry and Daphne stood up as they removed the cloak. Harry looked at Hermione sheepishly, whilst Daphne had slipped into her "Ice Princess" persona.

Fred and George just grinned, giving Harry thumbs up., which made him blush. Looking at Daphne from the corner of his eye, he could see Daphne's fair skinned cheeks pink ever so slightly.

"Harry you ol' hound!" Fred said with a grin.

"Snagged yourself the prettiest bird in Slytherin." continued George.

"Good on you mate!" they finished together.

X x x x x x x x

Minutes later found them all seated while Harry "confessed".

"How long have you two known each other?" said Hermione.

"Since I'd gotten my arm broken by that rogue Bludger." said Harry. "Which reminds me- Dobby!"

POP!

"Yes Master Harry Potter sir. How may I serve you." said the elf bouncing on his feet.

"Could you please bring us some refreshments, please?" Harry asked of the little elf.

"Yes Master Harry Potter. I be doing that at once!" Dobby said excitedly, and vanished with a snap of his fingers, returning moments later with several Butter-beers, before vanishing again.

Hermione gave him a look that told him that he would explain later.

"So you've known each other that long?" Hermione asked. "Why keep I secret?"

"Malfoy and his cronies have pressured her to join their little gang." Harry explained. "It's bad enough with her being an outcast in Slytherin for not following the ferret faced ponce, but if they knew she was my friend, they could make her life miserable."

"Oh honestly Harry," said Hermione. "I'm sure it wouldn't be that bad."

"You may be sure, but you'd be wrong." Daphne spoke up for the first time in a cool tone of voice that nearly made the twins flinch. "There are those that have tried to befriend outside of Slytherin, and they've paid the price. When our friendship eventually becomes common knowledge, I will be ready to handle whatever those inbred morons throw at me or my friends."

She raised an eyebrow at Hermione. "You simply don't know because you are not in Slytherin. You wouldn't last a day."

"Hermione," said Harry. "I hope you don't have any problem with me being friends with Daphne. When you were petrified, she would sit with me almost everyday that I sat next to you in the hospital wing. Her friendship means a lot to me. I hope the two of you could become friends to." he finished with a hopeful look.

Blushing Hermione said, "Of course I don't have a problem with her being your friend. I was just worried about you is all."

Their meeting broke up soon after, as it was already one in the morning.

X x x x x x x x x x

Divination. While Harry found the class rather amusing thus far, he thought it was a wash. At least it would be an easy grade. He was currently sharing a table with Hermione and Neville.

Harry was grinning at Hermione's startled look when Professor Trelawney had revealed that books would not help in this class. Hermione simply shot Harry an annoyed look.

The odd professor spent most of the class making dire predictions about everyone.

Their assignment on reading tea leaves had begun rather disastrously, with Neville breaking several tea cups. They did manage to do as instructed, and after downing their tea quickly, Harry and Neville swapped cups.

"Right" said Neville while opening his copy of un-fogging the future. "What do you see in mine?" he asked.

"A load of brown soggy stuff." he replied with a grin. "Looks like there's a load of shite in your future Nev. I'd visit the loo as soon as possible." Harry laughed, as Neville gave an embarrassed chuckle.

By the end of class, however, Harry was anything but laughing. Professor Trelawney had seen an omen of death in his cup. The Grim was stalking him.

x x x x x x x x

A/N: There you go. Decided to stop there, as I am dead tired. Next chapter, Malfoy's feathery beat down, Hogsmeade and the Grim Defeat.


	11. Flirting with Feathery Death & Boggarts

Note: Sorry I've been gone so long. My health hasn't been the best as of late. I woke up hallucinating from a fever. It was linked to the Crohn's, so I had to start taking a bunch of Antibiotics. Bleh. I'm still a bit loopy, so you'll have to bear with me.

**Chapter Ten**

**Flirting with Feathery Death, and Boggarts.**

After a subdued lunch, the afternoon found Harry, Neville and Hermione walking past the Stone Circle at the front entrance of the castle, on their way to Care of Magical Creatures. While Harry was excited at the prospect of being taught a class by the man he considered his very first friend in the Wizarding world, he was also worried. He knew the animals Hagrid found "interesting" or "misjudged", were considered dangerous by most others.

He'd also been thinking over his choices for the year's classes. Before lunch had even finished, he'd made a decision to drop Divination. He didn't fancy having his death predicted at least once a week. He learned from Professor McGonagall that Professor Trelawney predicted the death of a student every year. 'I guess it's going to be me this year if that class was anything to go by' he thought to himself.

They were halfway to Hagrid's when Harry turned to Hermione, "I think I'm going to drop divination." he said. "Maybe I'll take Ancient Runes as well."

Hermione beamed at him as she said, "That's a brilliant idea Harry. Now I won't be all alone."

"I think that might be a good idea." said Neville shyly. "I might be rubbish though."

"Don't be silly Neville," said Hermione with authority. "You'll have me and Harry there to help you with revising."

X x x x x x x x

Arriving at the front of Hargid's hut, Harry spied Daphne, Tracey and Blaise standing off to one side, near the other Slytherins. Hagrid's voice broke his attention away from Daphne.

"Alight," Hagrid called in a booming voice, "Everyone gather 'round. I got a real treat for yeh today, a great lesson. So follow me."

Hagrid lead the group of students around his hut to a paddock not located far behind it.

"Right now, everyone gather a the fence." he ordered as he opened a gate, and walked into the enclosure. "Alright now, less chatterin', and open your books to page forty-nine."

"Exactly how are we suppose to do that?" came the drawling voice of Draco Malfoy.

"Well, just stroke the spine o'course." said Hagrid as if it were the most obvious thing in the world as he walked toward the rear of the enclosure, behind a grove of trees and bushes.

The students complied, and most had their books open the appropriate pages. Well, all except Neville, who's book was, at the moment, attempting to eat his face.

"I think their funny." said Hermione once she had her book open.

"Oh yeah," Malfoy butted in. "terribly witty. Wait till my father hears they've got this oaf teaching classes."

"Shut up Malfoy." said Harry harshly.

Malfoy smirked and made to approach Harry, when he suddenly screwed up his face in mock terror while pointing to a spot behind Harry screaming, "Dementor! Dementor!"

Hearing Lavender squeal, Harry quickly turned, expecting to see Dementors, but instead caught sight of some of the bizarre looking creatures he'd ever seen. They had bodies, hind legs, and tails of horses, but the front legs, wings, and heads of what seemed like giant eagles. They had brilliant orange eyes, and deadly looking beaks.

"Tada!" Hagrid exclaimed proudly. "This, boys and girls, is a Hippogriff. Now, the first thing you want to know about Hippogriffs, is that they're very proud creatures. Very easily offended."

"You do not what to insult a Hippogriff. It may just be the last thing you ever do." warned Hagrid. The class began to shift uneasily. Each with various looks of worry etched on to their faces.

'_Is Hagrid insane?' _Harry asked himself.

"Now!" continued Hagrid with a clap of his hands as he turned back toward the deadly looking creature. " This is Buckbeak," he said indicating toward what appeared to be the lead Hippogriff. "Who'd like to come and say hello?"

Immediately, the entire class, save Harry, took several quick steps back. Neville, seeing the class backing away, ducked behind a large rock. Turning back to the class, Hagrid saw Harry standing well in front of his peers. With a proud smile he said, "Well done Harry!"

Looking behind him, Harry realized the rest of the class had left him for the slaughter.

'_You fucking bastards, you just left me standing here!' _he thought, before stepping forward to his doom. It was all Daphne could do not to shout out to him to be careful. Worry etched on her beautiful face.

Pavarti and Lavender began muttering about tea leaves as Harry walked forward.

"Now, you have to let him make the first move, it's only polite." Hagrid instructed. " Just step up, take a bow, and see if he bows back, and if he does, you can go and touch him," he paused. "If he doesn't… well, we'll get to that la'er."

'_Bugger me sideways.' _Harry whispered to himself.

He stood before the Hippogriff, and took a bow. The wait was excruciatingly long before the Hippogriff returned the bow.

"Oh well done Harry!" Hagrid said, relief evident in his voice. 'Right, I think yo can go and pat him now."

Harry gave Hagrid a startled look. _'He _is_ nuts!' _Harry thought.

"Don' be shy." encouraged Hagrid. "Go on. Nice and slow."

Slowly Harry approached the Hippogriff, arm outstretched. Buckbeak seemed to be studying Harry, before he walked forward and allowed Harry to pat his beak. The boy finally let out a relieved smile and he pet Buckbeak. _'This isn't so bad.' _he thought.

"I think he'll let you ride him now." Hagrid said as he lifted Harry onto the Hippogriffs back. Suddenly, the animal lurched forward at a dead run before launching himself into the air, with the terrified third year's arms wrapped around his neck. Many of the girls, Daphne included, let out startled shrieks as Buckbeak blew past the class.

Soon Harry's terror gave way to exhilaration as Buckbeak soared through the sky. He let out a whoop of joy as Buckbeak began a steep dive back into the paddock. _'This was much more exciting than a broom stick.' _He decided.

"Good job Harry!" Hagrid cried as Harry climbed off the Hippogriff's back. "Ten points to Gryffindor."

Taking Harry aside for a moment, Hagrid leaned down and asked in a whisper, "How'm I doin' me first day?"

"Brilliant Professor!" said Harry. Hagrid gave an embarrassed smile.

Soon the rest of the class divided up into threes, with a Hippogriff for each group. Most of the animals appeared to be cooperating, except Neville's. The poor boy kept having to scamper away, backward, each time his Hippogriff refused to return his bows. Hermione just watched with worry, and a hint of amusement. The animal returned her bow almost immediately.

"Oh please!' drawled Malfoy as he strutted up to Buckbeak. "You're not dangerous at all, you great ugly beast."

Buckbeak took great offence. Too late, Hagrid finally saw what Malfoy was up to. The Hippogriff reared up n his hind legs before bringing a sharp talon down on Malfoy. In a pathetic attempt to protect himself, Malfoy brought his right arm up, only to have it slashed. He let out a shriek not unlike a a five year old girl. Immediately Hagrid stepped in between Malfoy and Buckbeak, breaking off the Hippogriffs attack.

Harry wasn't even surprised by what had just happened. _'Typical Malfoy'_ he thought, shaking his head in disgust.

"Oh he's killed me!" Malfoy cried from his position on the ground. "I'm dying! I'm telling my father!"

"It's just a scratch." said Hagrid with a sigh, as he lifted Malfoy off the ground. "Twenty points from Slytherin for not following my instructions. Make way everyone. I've gotta carry Ms. Malfoy here to the fainting couch. Class dismissed!"

Most Gryffindors snickered at this, while most Slytherins scowled, exclaiming their opinions that Hagrid should be sacked.

Harry was surprised at the irritation in Hagrid's voice. Then again, the little prick had been warned not to offend the creatures, and that was exactly the first thing the idiot did.

Daphne had watched the entire thing with a strange sense of satisfaction. He stupid little tosser got just what he deserved. _'Some one had to knock him down a peg or two. Might as well be a Hippogriff.' _she thought with a smirk. Tracey and Daphne merely shook their heads at Hagrid's retreating back. All three of them knew that Malfoy was going to bring his father into this.

X x x x x x x x x x

It wasn't until next Thursday that Draco finally returned to classes. Harry and Neville's first Arithancy class earlier in the week hadn't been too bad, but the homework load was a nightmare. They both thanked Merlin they had Hermione. Harry didn't even realize yet, the irony, and humour of that statement, and wouldn't for a long time.

After a gruelling double Potions, in the morning, the trio left the dungeons for lunch, much to their relief.

"Does it hurt terribly Draco?" the pug faced Pansy Parkinson doted on Malfoy at the Slytherin table.

"Comes and it goes." said Malfoy. "I consider myself lucky. If it weren't for Madam Pomfrey, another minute or two, and I could have lost my arm."

Daphne, who had heard the entire thing, exchanged a look with Tracy as they rolled their eyes before returning to their lunches.

At the Gryffindor table, Harry, Hermione, and Neville looked on in disgust.

Listen to the little git." said Neville. "He's really laying it on thick isn't he?"

Hermione gave him a startled look which made Neville's cheeks colour slightly. "Well, I mean that Madam Pomfrey can fix things up good as new with a wave of her wand. He probably doesn't even need that sling." he said shyly.

"He's been sighted!" shouted Seamus as he barged into the Great Hall, waving a copy of the Daily Prophet in front of him. Coming to a stop not far from the trio, he slammed the paper down on the table. Harry, Hermione and Neville quickly moved over to get a glimpse of the article.

"Dufftown?" said Hermione. "That's not far from here." she finished worriedly.

"You don't think he'd really come to Hogwarts, do you?" said Neville worriedly.

"With Dementors at every entrance?" said Dean Thomas. "No way."

"He's already slipped past them once hasn't he?" said Seamus.' Who's to say he won't do it again?"

"That's right." said a large, very dark skinned boy grimly. "Black could be anywhere. It's like trying to catch smoke. Like trying to catch smoke with your bare hands."

Confused, Harry turned to him and asked. "I'm sorry. I don't think I saw you here last year. What is your name?"

"I'm Bem." said the boy, holding his hand out to Harry. "My father moved my family to England from Nigeria. I was sorted before term started."

"Oh. Nice to meet you, Bem." said Harry, shaking the boy's hand.

X x x x x x x x x

After lunch, the Gryffindors and Slytherins made their way to their first defence class, anticipation high. None of them saw Ron trailing behind them the entire time, a sad look on his face as he watched them, nor the disappearance of Hermione.

Shortly after they arrived, Professor Lupin strode out of his office with a very excited look on his face.

"Good afternoon everyone. Books away, wands out, and follow me. Today's lesson will be practical. I've got a surprise for you all." he said as he made his way to the classroom door.

After an encounter with Peeves, where Peeves taunted Lupin, the Professor banished the chewing gum the poltergeist had stuck onto the keyhole of a room they were passing up Peeves' nostril, the class found themselves staring at an old wardrobe in the staff lounge that would shake on it's own.

"Intriguing isn't it?" the shabby looking Professor asked as he walked around the students, coming to a stop before them. "Anyone care to guess as to what might be inside?"

"That's a Boggart that is." said Seamus.

"Excellent Mr. Finnigan. Five points to Gryffindor." said Lupin. "Now can anyone tell me what a Boggart looks like?"

"No one knows." came Hermione's voice suddenly. She was somehow now standing next to Harry. '_When'd she get here?' _he asked himself. He glanced at Neville who shrugged his shoulders.

"Boggarts are shape shifters." continued Hermione. "They take the shape of what ever a particular person fears the most. That's what makes them so-"

"-so terrifying, yes." Lupin interrupted. "Five more points to Gryffindor."

Many Slytherins began to grumble at this.

Professor Lupin them instructed them on the incantation _"Riddikulus' _to repel the Boggart. He then asked for Neville to assist him in demonstrating said spell for the class.

"Now Neville." He said "What frightens you most of all?"

"Everything?" Neville said in a small voice, to which the class chuckled.

"Other than that Neville."

"P-Professor S-Snape…" he continued in the small voice. The class chuckled again.

"Yes," Lupin said, trying to hold back a smile. "He frightens all. And I believe you live with your grandmother?"

"Yes," Neville said in alarm. "but I don't want that Boggart to turn into her either."

Again the class laughed. Harry started to feel sorry for his friend. He had so little self confidence. Daphne also looked upon Neville in sympathy.

"No. It's not going to." said Lupin in a comforting manner. "I want you to picture her wardrobe."

"S-She carries a red handbag-"

"We don't need to hear," Lupin interrupted. "As long as you see it, we'll see it."

A very mischievous glint then appeared in the Professor's eyes as he approached Neville.

"Now, here's what I want you to do."

He leaned down and whispered into Neville's ear, I want you to picture Professor Snape in your grandmother's clothes."

Neville gave him a startled look.

"Can you do that?" said Lupin, to which Neville gave a shy now.

Turning to the wardrobe, as he pulled his wand Lupin said, "Wand at the ready."

He cast a spell at the wardrobe door, causing it to open. Slowly a perfect representation of Professor Snape stepped out of the wardrobe, and began looming toward Neville.

"Think Neville! Think!" whispered Lupin urgently.

Shakily, Neville pointed his wand at the image of Snape and shouted, "RIDDIKULUS!"

Suddenly, the Neville's Snape Boggart was dressed in a woman's green robes, and wearing his grandmother's tall pointed hat, with the stuffed vulture, and red handbag. The class broke down into peels of laughter.

"You're going to pay for that Longbottom!" said the "Snape" Boggart. "A Thousand points from Gryffindor!"

"Very good Neville!" exclaimed Lupin.

"Next!"

Soon most of the class had their turns with the Boggart, each successfully casting the spell. Hermione's, much to everyone's amusement, was Professor McGonagall telling her she had failed all of her classes. It was when Harry was to confront it when things came to an abrupt end. His Boggart turned into a Dementor, and Professor Lupin rushed in between them. The Dementor vanished with a "POP" and in it's place was a silvery white orb. Lupin then shouted the incantation, turning it into a deflating muggle balloon, banishing it back into the wardrobe.

"Alright, that's enough for today." Lupin spoke quickly. "Class dismissed. Please read the chapter in your books on Boggarts. I will see you all next time."

There were many groans of protest at the early end to what had been turning into a very entertaining lesson.

Harry looked from the wardrobe to Professor Lupin in confusion. Shaking his head, he made his way out of the room toward the Defence Classroom to collect his books with everyone else. He didn't see Professor Lupin staring after him. Nor did he see Daphne looking at him in concern.

She hated that they had to keep their friendship secret. She hated their house rivalry, and idiots like Malfoy, whom could be potentially dangerous, kept them from being seen together in public.

Daphne Greengrass had made up her mind, before she'd even realized she had. She had chosen him. She couldn't explain it. She wanted to become his wife one day. True, many girls her age had that same fantasy, but she would get flashes in her mind's eye, of black haired, blue eyed little boys, and blond haired, green eyed girls. She felt a strange warmth in her stomach when ever she thought about it, and it always brought a smile to her face.

It never crossed her mind that it was at all strange for a thirteen year old girl to have such thoughts. It just felt right to her. She felt it in her soul. She knew one day she would carry his children. She smiled to herself again as she made her way back to her dorm, thoughts of being "Mrs. Daphne Potter" filling her thoughts.

X x x x x x x x x x

Note: There you have it. It took me a while to write this one up. Once again I'd like to thank my readers for your support. The references on two other films in previous chapters were "Spaceballs" and "Tommy Boy". No one caught them. The only one anyone got was the reference to the change from Richard Harris to Michael Gambin.

As to the fainting couch, I came up with that when I did research on corsets as part of possible battle dress for Daphne in fifth or sixth year, and there were references to fainting couches. I thought it would be very funny to have Hagrid rag on Malfoy a bit. As for Daphne's future battle dress, I though something along the lines of Madam Hooche's outfit from the first movie, but in a more 'Steampunk' style. The skirt will be there, just not as long.

Harry….. he won't realize his feelings for Daphne for a while. He has a mass murderer to think about, and besides, he is only thirteen year old boy. They're clueless about girls. It never goes away really. *Chuckling to myself* All Harry knows right now is that there is a strange pull in Daphne's direction.

Daphne, however, has made up her mind. She wants him to be hers, just as she wants to be his. I think when Harry does realize his feelings, I might use how I felt being in love as Harry's feelings. Sadly, I haven't been there in a long time…..Bugger. So! Read and review, and I'll work on the next chapter as quick as I can. Until then "Live Long, and Prosper."

-Edward


	12. Fat Ladies Run Away

Chapter Eleven.

Fat Ladies Run Away

Today was their first Hogsmeade visit, and Harry couldn't be more excited. He had expected to not be let off the castle grounds, seeing as Sirius Black was supposedly coming after him, but it seemed that he would be able to enjoy himself in the village.

Harry, Neville and Hermione made an early morning of it to catch the first carriages.

"So," said Hermione. "What shall we do first?"

"Honeydukes first I think.' said Harry. "Then maybe find Scrivenshaft's. I'm on my last quill. Classwork has been a right nightmare."

"Maybe Tomes and Scroll's before lunch?" Neville asked, looking at Hermione shyly. "We could got to the Three Broomsticks."

Hermione beamed at Neville's suggestion, causing him to blush. Harry had a pensive sort of smile as he wondered at Neville's suggestion, and reaction. He smirked inwardly as he realized that Neville might just fancy Hermione.

"We could stop by Zonko's after lunch," said Harry, a hopeful tone creeping into his voice. "I'm out of Dungbombs."

"Honestly Harry," said Hermione, "I think you and the twins have tormented Percy, Malfoy, Filch and his cat quite enough this year. I'm sure Professor Dumbledore did not give you that invisibility cloak for _that_ purpose."

"Maybe not," Harry said with a smirk, "but I'm sure he was well aware of that possibility. Besides, the little ferret faced bastard deserves it." he finished giving Hermione a very pointed look.

Harry knew in fact that his cloak wasn't the only way he kept from getting caught. The evening after Hermione's birthday, the twins took him into a secret passage they had found, and let him in on a "trade secret."

_It was around eight o'clock when the twins dragged him out of the common room down several floors and hallways, and into a hidden passageway the twins said they'd discovered in their second year. _

"_Now Harry." said Fred. "It has come to our attention, that you are something of a prankster."_

_Harry stared blankly at them, not wanting to give anything away._

"_It took us a while to figure out who had gotten us last Valentine's Day." George elaborated. "It's part of the reason we haven't pranked you since."_

"_It was brutal, and straight forward retaliation Mr. Potter."_

"_Under normal circumstances, we'd have declare total war on you."_

_Harry gulped at the thought that they had been merely biding their time, and coming up with who knows what to get him back._

"_Not only did you cause us to lose our clothes," Forge began,_

"_but caused us to sing a cheesy muggle love song in front of the entire great hall," said Gred._

"_dressing us up like cupids,"_

"_spiking our drinks with love potions,"_

"_causing us to declare our undying love for Goldilocks"_

"_I still have nightmares about that one," said George with a shudder._

"_and finishing with our being stunned silly by McGonagall." finished Fred, shaking his head._

_The twins looked very seriously at Harry. Harry was surreptitiously reaching for his wand, in case he had to fight his way out._

"_We thought," said the one on the left._

"_It was brilliant." the twins said together, huge grins breaking their serious expressions._

_Harry let out a sigh of relief. 'They're not going to kill me.' he thought to himself._

"_You've also noticed the upswing in Dungbomb attacks and enchanted suites of armour shouting profanities." said George in mock sternness. _

"_You're a prankster after our own hearts." said Fred, whipping an imaginary tear from his eye._

"_We thought it was a stroke of genius how you "super" glued all of Filch's cleaning supplies to the floor or their shelves." George said with a large grin on his face._

"_And so, we have deemed you worthy to be among our ranks good sir." said Fred imperiously._

"_So we're here to let you in," began George._

"_on how we know, that you're responsible," continued Fred._

"_for those dastardly deeds." they finished together._

_George pulled a folded piece of parchment from his pocket, and handed it to Harry._

"_It's just a folded bundle of parchment." Harry said, confused._

_The twins smirked at each other before Fred tapped his wand to the bundle saying, "I solemnly swear that I am up to no good."_

_Suddenly words began to form across the top of the parchment._

"_Messers Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot and Prongs, Purveyors of Aids to Magical Mischief-Makers are proud to present THE MARAUDER'S MAP" Harry read out loud then looked up at the twins in confusion._

"_We owe them so much." said George, while Fred nodded his head in agreement._

_Looking back down to the parchment, Harry unfolded one side of what was obviously the front cover. He saw lines in what appeared to be representations of hallways and rooms, and miniature footsteps "walking" across the pages. He realized quickly what the bundle of parchment was._

"_Hang on," he said excitedly, "this is Hogwarts!"_

"_Indeed dear Harrikins." said Fred._

"_Wow-."Harry said in an awed whisper. Turning the pages of the map, he instinctively searched for Daphne. The twins exchanged a grin. They knew exactly whom he was looking for._

_Harry found her near the dungeons, but she wasn't alone. He felt his stomach drop when he realized she was surrounded by Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle._

"_She's in trouble." said Harry, looking up at the twins. "Malfoy and his cronies have her cornered in the Dungeons."_

_Fred and George paled considerably, an amazing feat considering red heads are inherently as pale as you can get already. _

_Harry knew he couldn't just storm into the hallway, and give himself away. He was glad he'd taken to carrying his invisibility cloak for setting up pranks. _

_Pulling it from his bag, he noted the twins looking at it in awe. _

"_We can't put this on right now," he said running out of the hidden passage. "We'd never make it in time."_

"_Just put it on Harry." Fred said. "We know the disillusionment charm."_

_With that, all three continued at a dead run for the dungeons._

_Quickly arriving, they could hear talking around the corner, two halls away from the Slytherin Common Room entrance._

_After donning his cloak and drawing his wand as the twins cast their charms, they crept around the corner and saw them an entire hall length away. Crabbe was behind Daphne holding her arms, in what looked like a very painful grip. Goyle stood off to the side, back turned to the trio of Gryffindors, and laughing stupidly, and Draco stood in front of her, clearly out of kicking range. _

_Daphne, though wandless, looked very calm. She was in fact furious with herself. She hadn't been paying attention, thinking about a certain raven haired boy, when they caught her of guard. _

_Now the soles of her shoes were stuck to the floor, so she couldn't give the little ponce a swift kick to the pills, and she was unarmed. She thought desperately of a way out. There was no way she was going to let this idiot get away with this._

"_Come on Greengrass," said Draco. "I've chosen you to help me continue the great Malfoy line. You should be honoured at the chance to bed with me tonight."_

"_Ha!" she all but shouted. "I'd rather be arse raped by an eight dick Walrus than let you climb on top of me."_

"_Well," said Draco, voice dropping menacingly, "If you won't come willingly, I'll just have to take it from you then. There is only one thing women are good for anyway, and I can get my father to negotiate a marriage contract with yours. You will be mine, one way or another Greengrass." _

_Just then she looked down the hallway to her left. Harry could swear she looked right at him. Draco also looked down the hall, but saw nothing, so he continued._

"_No one is going to save you Greengrass." he said as he approached her. "You are all alone now, and no one is going to stop me. No one will believe your word over mine." he finished. In an utterly disgusting move, he grabbed her face, and tried to kiss her, but she kept turning her head._

_Harry saw red as his blood boiled. He'd never been so furious in all of his life. He could deal with Malfoy, or anyone else for that matter, trying to hurt him, but hurting Daphne was beyond the pale for Harry. No one was ever going to lay a hand on his Daphne ever again!_

_In a rage, Harry moved his wand in a mighty thrusting motion. A spell blasted from his wand and screamed toward Malfoy. He vaguely registered the Twins shouting stunning spells, as his spell slammed into Draco, sending him crashing into the wall of the corridor's intersection with a sickening crunch._

_He quickly removed his cloak and rushed the rest of the way toward Daphne. _

"_Harry." she whispered as she rushed to meet him, tears in her eyes. He wrapped his arms around her tightly, and she cried into his shoulder._

"_It's okay." he cooed. "I'm here."_

_Soon her sobs quieted, and they just stood there in each others arms. Looking over to his left, he saw that Fred and George had busied themselves with sticking Crabbe and Goyle to the ceiling of the Corridor, with out clothes. They'd also stripped Malfoy of his clothes, save his boxers, and appeared to have tattooed the word 'RAPIST SQUIB' across his chest. Fred used his tube of muggle superglue and quickly glued Malfoy's buttocks together, while George shaved Draco's head smooth. Eyebrows included.  
_

_Soon the four of them were in what had unofficially become Harry and Daphne's meeting place. _

"_I was distracted," she explained. Fred and George still looked murderous, and began whispering between themselves._

"_They caught me off guard," she continued. "and that never happens. I just didn't pay attention. It sure as hell isn't going to happen again."_

"_Harry." George said. "Fred and I have decided instead of simply letting you borrow the map,"_

"_We're going to let you keep it." finished Fred._

"_We are also declaring war on Malfoy."_

"_I want in." Harry said immediately. "No mercy."_

_Daphne smiled at him. He didn't see, but her eyes were filled with pure love, and admiration. The twins however, did see the look in her eyes, but decided NEVER to try and take the mickey out on her._

X x x x x x x x x x x x

Harry thought back on their continuing war against Malfoy with a smile. Neither he or the Twins had told anyone else about what had happened. The fewer people know, the fewer would suspect them of making Malfoy's life a living hell.

He had been so jumpy, that when there is even a loud noise, Draco would either yelp, or jump. It was almost as if he were afraid of his own shadow. Surprisingly, Snape did little to help Draco. He merely glared with pure malice at the little idiot.

Harry heard later on from the twins, that they'd also cast an obscure shrinking charm on his manhood. It was unlikely the school nurse would ever find a way to remove it. Harry winced a little at that, but thought it to be appropriate punishment.

Harry, Hermione and Neville made their way through Hogsmeade, visiting the various shops they'd agreed upon during the ride into town.

Harry and Neville loaded up on sweets. They'd each bought four bags a piece. Harry of course, bought a box of the finest chocolates as a gift for Daphne, to give her when they next met in "their" classroom. Neville had asked who he was buying them for.

Harry simply replied, "What? A guy can't buy himself the finest? Maybe I like taking bubble baths while eating chocolate."

Neville gave him a funny look, but let it drop.

After buying some suggested reading from the twins on Occlumency, from Tomes and Scrolls, the three of them made their way to Honeydukes for lunch.

He saw Daphne, Tracy, and Blaise seated in a booth near the back corner of the pub. Harry made eye contact with the three Slytherins, and surprisingly, Blaise gave Harry a respectful nod, and a slight smile.

On their way back to the castle, Harry reflected on how well the year has been going for him. All things considered, it was as normal a year as he could have expected, so far. He was looking forward to the Quidditch match this week, but it was not to be against Slytherin has first thought. Malfoy claimed he was still unable to play, and, with the help of his father of course, managed to reschedule Slytherin's first match.

Gryffindor would play Hufflepuff. Wood had been a maniac. Going on and on about having to retrain, because they had trained to play Slytherin, and their training was somehow useless against them. He dragged them out at the butt-crack of dawn in all kinds of weather to prepare. Needless to say, Harry and his team mates spent a lot of time grumbling these past two weeks.

He was tired, and didn't feel like lugging seven bags of assorted goods up seven flights of _moving_ stairs. As they walked through the entrance hall, and idea came to him.

"Dobby!" he called out.

_POP!_

"How can Dobby serve Master Harry Potter sir?" the excited elf asked.

"Could you please pop our bags up to our dorms please?" Harry asked.

"Of course sir. Dobby lives to serve!" and before Hermione or Neville could protest, Dobby grabbed their bags and "popped" away.

Shaking their heads at the hyper-active elf, they continued their way up to the grand staircase. As they neared the opening for the common room, they were met with a "log jam" of students waiting to get in.

"What's going on?" said Neville.

Harry just shrugged. From their position halfway up the last flight of stairs, Harry could hear Percy's pompous voice.

"Let me through please." Percy said in an authoritative voice. 'Excuse me, I'm Head Boy!" he finished, rather pompously in Harry's opinion.

"Everyone get back. No one is to enter the tower until it has been thoroughly searched."

Ginny Weasley appeared in front of the trio, looking worried.

"The Fat Lady, she's gone." said Ginny.

They were all suddenly ordered to make way for the Headmaster, as he moved quickly up the stairs to the portrait.

When the crowd cleared to the side, Harry got a clear look at the Fat Lady's portrait. It had been slashed. _'Who could have done that?' _he asked himself.

"Mr. Filch." said Dumbledore. "Round up the ghosts. Have them search every painting in the castle- for the Fat Lady."

"There's no need for ghosts Professor." Filch said, looking up toward a painting further up and across the stairway.

In a mad rush students and Professors alike, made their way to the painting Filch had indicated. There, they saw the Fat Lady, cowering behind a painted boulder.

Upon reaching where the fat Lady was hiding, Dumbledore asked, "Dear Lady, who did this to you?"

Whimpering the Fat Lady answered, "Eyes like the DEVIL he's got, and a soul dark as his name. It's him Headmaster. The one they all talk about. He's here! Somewhere in the castle! Sirius Black!" she cried cowering back behind the boulder.

"Mr. Filch, secure the castle. The rest of you, to the Great Hall!" Dumbledore ordered in a booming voice.

Harry stood, looking at the painting that currently contained their tower's guardian.

'_I guess I spoke too soon about having a normal year-' _he thought miserably.

Hermione stood behind him, looking at him in worry. She reached out and took his arm, and began pulling the dazed boy down toward the Great Hall with the rest of the student body. Neither he or Hermione had seen Daphne on the opposite staircase watching them. She'd rushed up there with many other student when word came that the Fat Lady's portrait had been vandalized.

When she, along with every one else who'd been watching, heard that it had been Sirius Black whom had attacked her, Daphne's stomach dropped into her shoes. She felt a cold weight in the place where were stomach ought to be. Harry could have crossed paths with Sirius Black at any moment, had he not gotten his permission slip signed.

Emotions threatened to overwhelm her, but she knew she couldn't see Harry alone tonight. With unshed tears for her Harry, she made her way down to the great hall with everyone else. _'At least he was safe right now.' _she thought.

X x x x x x x x x x

Friday saw Harry wake to a very stormy morning. The torrential rains started the day before, and had yet to let up.

'_Great. I've always wanted to play Quidditch during a monsoon.' _he thought to himself sarcastically.

Quickly getting dressed in his Quidditch uniform, he made his way down to the great hall for a quick breakfast. Early November with rain, they were going to need all the help they could get.

Xx x x x x x

They had been playing very hard for less than ten minutes when Oliver motioned them to the ground. Hermione had cast a water repelling charm on his brand new Quidditch goggles, so seeing wasn't a problem. The problem was, they were all frozen and soaked to the bone. Oliver made it clear, that he did not want to be playing into the night in this weather. So it was up to Harry to end this match quickly.

Once play resumed, he soon found himself in a chase with Diggory, the Hufflepuff sixth year Seeker. In this weather Diggory's Cleansweap 9 and Harry's Nimbus were evenly matched, especially with headwind.

They both pushed their brooms as hard as they could, ice cold water seemed to cut into their skin as they battled it out in the stormy skies over Hogwarts. They were neck and neck, when suddenly the Snitch dove straight down. At nearly a thousand feet, Harry knew there would be plenty of room to spare before he was in danger of hitting the ground. Rain caused brooms to respond a bit sluggishly.

Diving after the Snitch an instant before Diggory gave Harry the edge he needed. He reached out and snatched the tiny golden ball from the sky. They'd won, and Diggory acknowledged the victory. They were still several hundred feet in the air when suddenly the temperature began to drop even further. The water on their brooms began to freeze, and Harry heard the faint echo of a woman's screams in his head.

Harry's head whipped around, looking for the Dementors he knew were near. Then, he saw them. Over one hundred of them, swarming toward the Quidditch pitch. Several bore down on Diggory and Harry, and the two made a desperate attempt to escape. Soon they had lost each other, and Harry was flying as hard as he could, but it wasn't enough.

"_Not Harry! Please! Take me instead!"_

"_Stand aside you silly girl!"_

"_No! Kill me instead!"_

"_Avada Kedavra!"_

_Green Light _

_and maniacal laughter._

"_You shall die today Myrddin, and when you do, your woman shall be mine."_

"_You will be mine, one way or the other Greengrass."_

_Screaming_

_Blackness._

_x x x x x x x x  
_

Note: Another chapter down. Things are starting to pick up. Harry and Daphne are drawing closer and closer. Hermione is trying in her own way to win Harry over. I'm going to gloss over the Patronus training. I'll be brief. And them move on to the Firebolt, and then the whole Sirius, Wormtail, Moony thing in the shack. I really want to get to GOF as quickly as possible with out missing anything.


	13. In Noctem

Find the Half Blood Prince soundtrack and play "In Noctem". It will set the tone for the rest of the story…..

In Noctem

Carry my soul into the night  
May the stars guide my way.  
I glory in the sight  
As darkness takes the day.

Ferte in noctem animam meam  
Illustre stelle viam meam.  
Aspectu illo glorior  
Dum capit nox diem.

Cantate vitae canticum

Sine dolore acte  
Dicite eis quos amabam  
Numquam obliviscar

Sing a song, a song of life  
Made without regret  
Tell the ones, the ones I loved  
I never will forget  
Never will forget...

_Blackness…._

_A young mage neigh twenty six years of age was battling furiously, staff a blur of colour and motion as the man hurled spells of various kinds in all directions. Casting, and shielding, casting and shielding. _

_His enemies were relentless. As he would cut four down, ten more seemed to take their places. Myrddin called forth a great wall of fire, instantly incinerating a quartet of dark followers, pushing many others back. _

_All the while, his mortal enemy stood back, watching as his followers were decimated. Myrddin knew that his masked enemy was simply waiting for him to tire, but unknown to his enemy, his magical abilities far exceeded any before. _

_Stabbing his staff to the ground, he sent a wave of earth toward ten opponents, as it reached them, the ground erupted into molten rock, instantly consuming his enemies._

_Swinging his staff in a wide slashing motion at the dozen witches and wizards behind him, while simultaneously raising a shield of incredible power, he loosed a great ribbon of magic that hurtled through the air, easily piercing through shields and conjured stones before separating each from the lower halves of their bodies._

_Continuing his spin to the right, he pulled great volumes of water from the river behind the dark magic practitioners he now faced. All thirty or so found themselves suspended in the air in a great globe of water. With a jab of his staff, the water began to boil away rapidly. Muffled screams could barely be heard over the sound of steam and churning water. Within seconds, they had all passed on to the next world._

_Breathing heavily, Myrddin let the great volume of boiling water fall back down the hill, taking the remains of those poor misguided souls with them. Myrddin did not like battling at all, but he and his beloved were threatened. His legacy, his unborn child._

_Facing the powerful warlord known as Gwrtheyrn, Myrddin stood defiantly, staff raised, robes tattered and scorched, but ready to strike. The cracking of thunder and howling of wind, the only sounds to be heard within miles. Myrddin's love was safe. Hidden away by a new magic he'd created. A charm, based on trust. His fidelity. No one would ever find where she was unless he wanted them to. He would die before he ever revealed where she and his child were protected._

"_She will be mine." said Gwrtheyrn. "I have delved into the darkest of dark Magics. Beyond any you could have ever dreamed! I am immortal!" he laughed._

"_We'll see." said Myrddin before he fired the most powerful blasting hex in existence at this now inhuman enemy. A shield was brought up in defence. The hex impacted Gwrtheyn's shield, but the impact threw the warlord back several dozen paces from where he stood. The impact of the spell could be felt a mile away as though one were struck in the chest with a fist. _

_Over head, a scarlet and gold Phoenix with violet crest feathers circled singing it's war-cry for his young master…..A Phoenix whom had bonded with him on the day he and his wife finally realized their love…_

_Myrddin felt something… he didn't know what it was, only that is was very dark, and connected his enemies' soul elsewhere….. An anchor of some sort…_

_A sickly green curse flew toward him at an incredible speed. Quickly, Myrddin conjured a large granite slab to intercept the spell that would strip his soul from his body. The stone slab exploded in a shower of pebbles and dust, as he cast a powerful bludgeoning hex through the cloud. Quickly side stepping to his left, the young Mage loosed several more spells. Great bolts of fire, bone crushing spells, blasting spells, boiling water, and cutting curses that could have cleaved the great stones of the sacred circle to the south east._

_The battle raged…._

X x x x x x x x

Slowly his consciousness began to take hold once more. He felt his weightless body beginning to take on the feeling of lead.

He was in a bed, that much was certain. What confused him was the weight he felt on his side.

Slowly, he opened his eyes. Looking around with his eyes, not moving his head, he saw that it was dark, and could make out the ever familiar blurred shapes of the hospital. Turning his head slightly to the left, he saw a person cruelled up with him in his bed. Blonde hair fanned out onto his pillow and chest. It was then he noticed that a good bit of his face was covered in the unknown person's hair.

Breathing in, he finally noticed the familiar scent. He knew exactly who it was. Daphne. Now it has been his experience that unfamiliar people, tend to have oddly unique scents. Many of which were very unpleasant.

But Daphne was another story. From the very first time she hugged him, he knew her. It were as though they'd known each other for years. It was difficult to explain the connection that came form her own unique scent. One he had come to know simply as "Daphne".

Looking down at her sleeping form, the faint memory echoed through his mind. _'My fidelity'_

He didn't know what it meant, only that it seemed important. Some type of spell….

'_anchor for the soul.' _Whatever that was.

Daphne began to stir in her sleep, and Harry stilled, not wanting to wake her up. She opened her eyes and looked into Harry's. Her eyes widened and she squeezed him in a bone crushing hug.

"Harry!" she whispered. "I was so afraid for you. I saw you fall, we all saw you fall, and I don't know what happened but you started to slow down, but you still slammed into the ground, I thought I was going to die right then and there, and you've been out this entire time, and I would have come been with you since the end of the match, but it would have been suspicious seeing me there, so I waited until after curfew and snuck in here." she finally took a breath, "I'm so glad you're awake." she finished as she buried her face in his chest.

Harry had only smiled, somewhat amazed she'd been able to whisper so much with out breathing. When she was done, she simply held her.

"How are you feeling?" she asked, still in low tones.

"I'm feeling alright." said Harry. "Just…. I had a strange dream."

She looked up at him with expectant eyes.

"I don't know what it means, but, there was a battle. I was fighting some one. It seemed like a long time ago. A thought about a spell to hide crossed my mind.. Something about Fidelity. And something else about dark magic. A Soul anchor or something."

"Maybe you should ask Professor Dumbledore." Daphne suggested. "If anyone knows about obscure magic it would be him."

"Yeah," said Harry. Suddenly a thought crossed his mind. "So what happened after I fell?"

Daphne's eyes widened, and she paled. She looked very uneasy as she spoke again, "Harry… After you fell… well, your broom… it flew into the Whomping Willow, and it's… I'm so sorry Harry." she finished looking very concerned.

Harry's stomach dropped. He knew exactly what she was saying. He was no idiot who wasted time in denials. He never saw the point. He just accepted, and then tried to move on. But the loss of his broom was huge. It was only the second gift he'd ever received. Hedwig was the first, but he couldn't very well fly on Hedwig's back during a match now could he?

Laying his head back down, he closed his eyes and a futile attempt to stem the flow of tears. Daphne simply held him, as she wiped his tears away, giving whatever comfort she could. Slowly, they both fell back into the world of dreams together…

Neither saw the pair of twinkling blue eyes watching them from the shadows of the hospital wing. Nor their quiet exit.

X x x x x x x x x

The next afternoon, a Saturday, Harry was released from Madam Pomfrey's clutches.

Arriving in the great hall for a late lunch, he spied the Headmaster at the head table, finishing up his lunch. Harry walked over as quickly and had casually as possible.

Dumbledore saw him immediately and smiled as Harry made his way to him. The boy obviously wanted to talk to him about something.

"Professor?" said Harry.

"What can I do for you my dear boy?" asked the Headmaster.

"I was wondering, if you had any spare time later. There some things I want to talk to about, and I figured you'd be the best person to talk to."

"Of course." said Dumbledore happily. "How about after dinner tonight?"

Harry nodded his head, "That'd be perfect sir. The sooner the better, lest I forget the dreams entirely."

"The password is Ice Mice."

Dumbledore nodded, and Harry went to his seat at the Gryffindor table and ate lunch quickly, before going off to find Hermione so she could help him finish his Defence essay.

X x x x x x x x x

After dinner Harry made his way up to the headmaster's office. Standing before the stone Gargoyle he uttered the password, and the stone figure leaped to ne one side and allowed him access.

He was about to knock upon reaching the door into Dumbledore's office, when the word "Enter" stopped him before his knuckles made contact with the door.

Opening the door, and stepping inside, he saw that the office was largely unchanged since the last time he'd been in there.

"Welcome Harry." the headmaster greeted Harry as the boy took a seat in front of his desk. "Lemon drop?" he offered.

"No thank you sir."

"Now, what can I do for you?"

"I had a dream sir. The night I was in the hospital wing after I fell off my broom." began Harry. He saw Dumbledore's eye begin twinkling madly. "In the dream, I was an adult. I had a staff, and I was fighting. Fighting dozens of dark wizards."

Dumbledore's eyebrows furrowed slightly.

"In the dream I was also using brutal ways of killing the dark wizards. Boiling water, fire, lava, blasting curses. But there was one thought that crossed my mind. I was thinking about keeping some one safe, with a charm I had created. It kept her hidden, and I was the only one who knew the location, and the only way some one else would know where she was, is if I told them. Something about "My Fidelity" on the charm. I don't know why, but it felt like that was very important."

Dumbledore paled as Harry continued.

"I could also sense something from the wizard I was fighting." said Harry. "He wanted what I had. A woman I think. I know. But I also sensed something wrong with his soul. Like it was anchored to something. He said he was immortal, and it seemed this anchor had something to do with it."

Dumbledore shot to his feet and raced over to a cabinet and with a gesture, opened it. Inside was a large basin, with an unknown substance in it that seemed to glow. Dumbledore leaned over it breathing heavily, and to Harry, it seemed as though he was but a moment from being sick.

"Have you had any other dreams like this Harry?" the old man asked.

"I think so sir," said Harry, "but I think this is the first one I could remember clearly."

"Would you be willing to let me see a copy of this dream?" Dumbledore asked, looking back at Harry. At the boy's confused look he said, "This is a Pensieve," indicating the stone basin, "It's used to store memories. I find it's rather useful when thoughts become jumbled. It allows you to see a memory from a different perspective."

Harry stood and joined Dumbledore by the pensive. Peering into it, he saw the substance in it appeared to be a mix between a gas and liquid.

"What do I have to do?" Harry asked, uncertainly.

"All you have to do it think about the memory, from beginning to end, and I will place the tip of my wand to your temple, and extract a copy of your memory." said Dumbledore. At Harry's startled look he continued, "It's perfectly painless Harry. The most you'll feel is a tickle as I extract the memory."

Thinking it over for a moment, Harry nodded his head, and began to think about his dream. Dumbledore then placed his wand to Harry's temple, and pulled a silvery strand from his mind, and dropped it into the pensieve.

"If you'll please have a seat while I view the memory inside the pensieve. I shall return immediately when the memory ends." Dumbledore said before he entered the stone basin.

Over a half hour passed before Dumbledore emerged from the glowing basin. He was pale and visibly shaken. He stumbled to another cabinet behind his desk, and withdrew what appeared to be alcohol of some kind, and a single tumbler. He sat heavily in his seat and poured himself a glass full, before downing it in one pull.

Silence passed between them, and Harry looked at Dumbledore, waiting for an answer.

"Did you say there was a thought about creating a charm to hide?" asked Dumbledore in a low voice, not looking at Harry.

"Yes sir." said Harry. "Do you know what it is?"

"I believe you're referring to the Fidelius Charm. It was rumoured that.. Well never mind on that. It is a very old charm, used to hide any given location. There is a secret keeper, who is trusted with the location. The secret keeper is the only one who could reveal the location."

Taking a deep breath he continued. "You said you were hiding some one. Who?"

"A woman, and an unborn child, I think." I think whoever I was in the dream, loved this woman, and was willing to die before he gave her up to the evil man in the mask."

Leaning back in his chair, Dumbledore steepled his fingers, frowning at them, deep in thought.

"And you said you could sense an anchor for the soul.." Dumbledore mumbled.

'Sir! I think there may be an anchor, or whatever it is here!" Harry said, louder than he intended. "I've felt something like this before. It was similar to the diary that possessed Ginny Weasley, and I feel something else like it coming from somewhere in the school."

Dumbledore's eyebrows disappeared into his hair line as he jumped from his seat.

"Where have you felt it?" he asked quickly.

"Well, somewhere around the seventh floor." said Harry. "I'd felt it long before, but I didn't know what it was, until the dream."

"Could you possibly lead me to the general area?" Dumbledore asked, a hopeful tone in his voice.

"Yes sir."

X x x x x x x x

Soon the pair found themselves on the seventh floor. Harry could feel the pull of whatever it was getting stronger as they passed a large spherical birdcage, birds chirping happily as they passed.

"Around this corner I think sir." said Harry, turning left from the cage. Soon he was certain the pull should have been coming from a room in front of a large tapestry of a wizard who appeared to be trying to show trolls how to dance, but he saw only a large blank wall.

"I don't understand sir." a confused Harry said, scratching his head. "I feel it coming from this wall, but-"

"Hmmm," murmured Dumbledore as he ran his hand along the wall. "Perhaps- Tolly!" he called.

A house elf wearing a tunic with the Hogwarts crest appeared at their feet.

"Headmaster calls Tolly?" said the elf in a high pitched voice. 'How can Tolly serve?"

"Tolly, is there a room behind this wall?" asked the old wizard,.

"Yes headmaster." the little elf said excitedly, "we elves call it the "Come and Go" room. All you is having to do, is walk back and forth in front of the wall three times, thinking of what room you is needing."

'Thank you Tolly, that will be all." Dumbledore said. The elf gave a bow and popped away.

Looking back at Harry he continued 'Perhaps- we should ask for a room of hidden things. I suspect the owner of the object would want to keep it hidden that way. If you would do the honours Harry."

Harry nodded and paced three times in front of the wall, feeling somewhat silly doing so. Suddenly a door seemed to "rise" from the wall, as if it were climbing out of a sand trap.

"Wow," said Harry.

"Indeed." said Dumbledore. "Harry, you must promise me, that whatever we find in there you will not touch with your bare hands. If it is what I suspect, it is a very dangerous cursed object."

"Yes sir." Harry said without hesitation.

Opening the door, the headmaster stepped in first followed by Harry. Stopping just inside the door as it closed behind them, they both looked around in wonderment at the sheer amount of items stored in the very large room.

"Well, this explains why I was never again able to find the room full of chamber pots."

At Harry's confused look, Dumbledore elaborated. 'I was wandering the school late at night many years ago. I was suddenly in desperate need of a chamber pot, and alas, this room, it would seem, came to my rescue."

Harry laughed a little, to which Dumbledore smiled. Harry soon set about following the pull of whatever it was. As they passed a vanishing cabinet, Harry paused. His eyebrows furrowed as he looked at it. A brief image flashed in his mind's eye. He wasn't exactly sure what it was he saw, but he knew it was bad.

'Is there something wrong Harry?" said Dumbledore.

"I just-" said Harry haltingly, "I got a funny feeling when I saw this cabinet. I don't know why, but my intuition is telling me not to ignore it for some reason."

"Whatever we're looking for isn't inside of it?" asked the Headmaster.

"No, it's just-" said Harry, "- we shouldn't ignore it. I think we should… destroy it. Now before it can hurt some one."

Dumbledore stared at Harry. He was inclined to believe him, for if what he suspected about the boy were true… He let the thought hang.

"Alright Harry." he said. "Stand behind me."

Harry did as he was told, and Dumbledore raised his wand and silently blasted the cabinet into splinters. When the dust cleared, there was little left, but chunks of wood, and three short iron legs that once held the cabinet up.

Harry for some reason felt a huge wave of relieve flood him, and he actually smiled.

"Thank you sir." he said looking up at his mentor. "It would have bugged me until something as done about it."

Continuing with his search, he came across a bust with a very ugly wig, and upon that wig, sat a beautiful diadem. He knew instantly that the pull was coming from said item.

"There sir!" exclaimed Harry. "That tiara. That's where it's coming from."

Dumbledore peered at the diadem and gasped. 'This is Rowena Ravenclaw's lost diadem." he said in awe. "It was thought lost nearly a thousand years ago."

He lifted his wand, and cast an unknown spell on it. It suddenly glowed a sickly green.

"This confirms my suspicions." he said grimly. "Harry, I cannot tell you what this is until you've learned a branch of magic known as Occlumency."

"I'm already learning it sir." Harry said, looking down. " A very good friend of mine is helping me."

Dumbledore looked upon Harry with eyes twinkling madly.

"Ms. Greengrass I presume?" he asked.

Harry looked up at him so quickly, Dumbledore was sure he heard the boy's neck snap.

With wide eyes Harry asked, "H-How did you-?"

"I happened upon the two of you last night in the hospital wing." twinkling now going into over drive. "I was quite surprise. How long have the two of you been so close?"

"I-erm- w-we met in the hospital wing, t-the night Lockheart removed the bones form my arm," he explained. "She had a run in with Malfoy, and needed a headache potion. We started talking, and well, we've been friends ever since. I don't think she ever got the potion for her head though. We thought it best to keep our friendship a secret for now. To avoid any trouble from the other Slytherins. They won't like that one of their own is my friend."

"Very well." said Dumbledore. "I advise you continue your learning, but-" he paused "I think I should test you once a week from now on, to see how you are coming along. You may bring Ms. Greengrass, or I shall send her notifications to join me in my office when you are there. Please ask her if she is agreeable."

"Yes sir. I will." said Harry.

Dumbledore then conjured a metal box, and levitated the diadem into it and closed the lid. He muttered several sealing charms on it, and placed the box in his robes.

"Harry," he said looking at the boy again. "I promise you, once you've learned Occlumency, I will tell you a great many things. You've earned the right to know. I shall also do more research into what your dreams could mean." he smiled. "Until then, I think, One hundred points to Gryffindor for school spirit, and making this remarkable discovery."

Harry gave the headmaster a face splitting smile.

"I shall inform you of our first lesson, until then-' he paused "Study whatever texts on Occlumency as much as possible, and practice those techniques found within. Now, off you go, but remember-" he gave Harry a very serious look, "Tell no one."

Nodding at the headmaster, Harry made his way out of the Room of Requirement as quickly as possible.

X x x x x x x

Monday after his meeting with Dumbledore, Harry was in his defence class, happy to have Professor Lupin back. Snape was about as much of an asshole as you can get.

As it was the last class of the day, Harry told his friend he was going to catch up to them later. He had to talk to Lupin about the spell he used to drive off the Dementors.

"Sir?" said Harry.

" Yes, what can I do for you Harry?" Lupin asked.

"I was wondering," he hesitated, "What spell did you use to drive off the Dementors?"

A look of understanding crossed Lupin's face. "It's called the Patronus Charm."

"Would it be possible, you know, if you could teach me?" said Harry, "I hate how they affect me so badly. Why do they affect me like they do?"

Lupin sighed as he sat on the edge of his desk, "Harry, Dementors are among the foulest creatures that walk this earth. They infest the darkest, filthiest places, they glory in decay and despair, they drain peace, hope, and happiness out of the air around them... Get too near a Dementor and every good feeling, every happy memory will be sucked out of you. If it can, the Dementor will feed on you long enough to reduce you to something like itself...soulless and evil. You will be left with nothing but the worst experiences of your life. You've experienced things in your short life that your classmates can scarcely imagine. There is no shame in how they affect you."

Harry looked down at his shoes.

"But, I believe I can help you." Said Lupin. "It will have to wait until after the Christmas Holidays. We are going to work very hard, week after week. We can't do that now, because there would be two weeks where you could not practice. Are you willing to put forth the effort?" Lupin asked seriously.

Harry nodded emphatically, "Yes sir. I'll do what ever is takes to learn how to fight them. I don't fancy falling off my broom again, from over five hundred feet."

"Very well." Lupin said looking down at his calendar. "How about we start on the Sixth of January? That will give us a long stretch of uninterrupted term before the Easter Hols. You better catch up with your friends."

"Thank you sir." Harry said as he turned to leave, feeling in much better spirits about his Dementor problem than he had in a while.

He should tell Daphne after dinner. With that thought, he made his way to the Owlery to send a note to her during dinner.

X x x x x x x x

Note: There we go. About Harry's intuition, its going to sound crazy, but I'm just going by what I've experienced in my lifetime. I've had those feeling about things before, be it an object, or a person. When I've ignored the feelings, bad things have happened to me. No lie people. On Harry's ability to sense the Horcruxes, he would have had it already, being Merlin reincarnate, but the Horcrux in him allows for a stronger connection. The song at the beginning is a very beautiful tune. Watch the deleted scenes from the Halfblood Prince. The scene would have added a lot more depth to Snape, and would have made Dumbledore's death much more sad.


	14. Dumbledore and Patronus Charms

Chapter Thirteen

Dumbledore Reflections, and Patronus Charms.

Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore, Headmaster of Hogwarts Witchcraft and Wizardry, and many other titles he really couldn't give a shite less about, sat warily at his desk. It was in the wee early hours of the morning, more then three weeks since he and Harry'd found the cursed diadem.

Looking down at said diadem, now cleaved in half, and the mangled enchanted diary from the year before, he knew without a doubt what they were. Horcruxes. Some of the most vile magic known to wizard kind. Created by Tom to 'anchor' his soul to this plane of existence.

One Horcrux was horrifying enough, but several? The thought made bile begin to rise in the old wizard's throat. It was disgusting to say the least, but how many did the foolish boy make? Albus suspected that Myrtle's death was used to create the first. The real question was, 'How many?'

He had used several different enchantments in many unsuccessful attempts to destroy the Horcrux. In the end, it was as simple as using the Sword of Gryffindor. 'Basilisk Venom' he thought. 'That must have been it.'

He doubted the Goblin Wrought sword would be capable of such feat on it's own, but when young Harry killed the Basilisk, 'stabbing it through the snake's head, it must have passed through it's venom sacks, impregnated the blade with it's deadly poison.' he thought with a sigh.

"So young, and already faced more terror than most adults do in their entire lifetimes." said Dumbledore, looking over at his familiar, Fawkes.

Then there were the dreams, and abilities, that appeared to be surfacing slowly. The dream he had been shown, very few people knew more than legends when it came to Merlin. Few knew of obscure rumours about a secret wife and child. In fact, he was almost certain, that he was the only living soul who did. His old Master, Nicholas Flamel and his wife Perenelle were the others. In fact, it had been Nicholas who'd told him of said legend.

When his apprenticeship was nearly complete, he'd told the young Albus of a secret Order that kept watch over Merlin's line. Nicholas was to be the last, as prophesied. It was said that the last of this Order would pass on his knowledge to the leader of the light whom in turn would tutor Merlin's reincarnated soul.

Albus had always though that the subject of Divination was inaccurate, and rather useless unless you were born with the gift. He had even considered dropping the class from the Hogwarts curriculum.

Then came Sybill Trelawney. She'd spoken the prophecy that had ultimately lead to the Potters' demise, and the situation Harry was in now. When she had made her prediction, he began to rethink his position on what Nicholas had told him all those years ago.

It had been the secret Order's destiny to only go so far, and no farther. With the death of the Flamels less than a year gone by, part their prophecy had been fulfilled. The pair had been devastated when news of the Potters' death, but relieved when they learned that young Harry had survived. When Albus asked why, they'd simply told him that it would be revealed to him in time.

Albus sat with Nicholas and Perenelle as they lay on their death bed. When he'd told them of Harry's exploits with the Stone, the ancient couple had shared a look of happiness. Nicholas' final words were, "It's him Albus. He's returned. Finally" as he and his wife drew their final breaths.

Until Harry had come to him about his dreams, Albus had been unwilling to face the truth. He didn't want the boy to carry such a burden. He would have given everything for Harry to have a normal life. The boy should be worried about; grades, finding a suitable place to snog a certain young lady with the deepest blue eyes and honey coloured hair, Quidditch, Hogsmeade weekends, and friendships. Not; death, destruction, dark wizards who wanted to see his head on a pike, prophecies, or being Merlin reincarnate.

A tear rolled down the old wizard's face, as he thought of the trials yet to come for the young lad. How he wished he could take it all away.

He just hoped he wouldn't fail Harry.

X x x x x x x x x

_She was screaming._

_She felt so much pain coming from her nether regions._

_SHE WAS GIVING BIRTH!_

_How was that possible? She's never been with anyone! She was too young._

_From the soft light coming through the windows, she could see it was mid morning at least._

"_You can do it sweet heart," said the man holding her hand. _

_She looked up at him. He seemed familiar somehow. Long messy raven coloured hair, piercing green eyes, and a full beard._

'_Ew' Daphne thought to herself. She didn't like beards, but whoever she was in the dream, felt only the deepest love for this man._

"_One more hard push," said a woman whom was obviously the midwife. "and the babe will be with us in this world."_

_She felt herself bear down, and give a mighty heave. How she did it, she didn't know. The pain was immense._

_Suddenly the pain subsided to a powerful ache, and she heard the wail of an infant._

"_It's a boy." said the midwife._

_Soon the newborn was cleaned and wrapped protectively in his mother's arms. _

_She felt overwhelming love for the new life she'd brought into this world. She looked up at the man, whom Daphne assumed was the father, and saw beaming pride on his slightly scared features. _

_Their eyes met, and he leaned down and kissed her lips tenderly…_

X x x x x x

Daphne Greengrass sat up in bed quickly. She wasn't breathing heavily or sweating. In fact, she felt a great loss with the end of the dream.

'Who were those people?' she asked herself.

Quickly as the dream faded from her memory, she thought back to the man. He reminded her of a certain Gryffindor she was head over heels for. The man radiated such power and compassion. So much love. And then, the dream was gone. Try as she might, she could no longer recall any detail, except the emotion.

Shaking her head, she looked over at her clock quietly ticking away on her nightstand, and noted it was three past three in the morning. She shook her head, and lay back down, closing her eyes. Sleep took her soon after.

X x x x x x x x

Christmas morning started out great. Harry'd gotten a Firebolt broomstick for Christmas. Things had been looking up, until Hermione told Professor McGonagall, and the broom had been confiscated.

He had been angry at first, he'd never even got to ride it, but instead of blowing his stack, he calmed himself and asked Hermione why she did what she had done. Ron had even come into the conversation, and had yelled at Hermione for "ratting him out" and getting the broom taken away.

"_Harry," she said, "There was no note on the broom to tell you who it's from. Sirius Black could have cursed the broom so it could kill you. Don't you remember your first Quidditch match?"_

_This gave Harry pause. She had a point, a damn good point._

'_Bugger.' he thought with a groan._

"_Why do you always have to be right?" he asked her, nearly whining._

"_I can't believe you're taking her side!" Ron nearly shouted, catching the attention of the rest of the hall. 'You're always taking her side!"_

"_I do not!" defended Harry loudly. "If anything, I've taken your side more than hers."_

"_Fine!" said Ron. "I see how it is! She spreads her legs and now you go with everything she says?"_

_He wasn't able to say much more before Harry decked him, effectively shutting him up. Ron, however quickly recovered, and the two were soon on the ground brawling, until-_

"_Mr. Potter! Mr. Weasley!" shouted Professor McGonagall. "That will be three nights detention for both of you as soon as the new term begins!"_

_The pair were pulled apart by a few sixth and seventh years who'd stayed at the castle over the holidays._

"_If term were in session I'd deduct points as well, for your scandalous slander of Ms. Granger and Mr. Potter, Mr. Weasley." said McGonagall before Ron stomped off, "And you, Mr. Potter, I'd take points from you as well-" she paused, "-and award you points for defending Ms. Granger's honour." With that, she turned and walked briskly out of the hall._

So here he was, sitting in the empty common room in his favourite chair in front of the fire reading, while Hermione sat on the couch, legs curled under her, nose in a book.

It was good to see Hermione relaxing for a change. She'd been very frazzled the entire term. Now with news that Buckbeak's hearing had been scheduled for the twentieth of April, she'd taken up helping prepare Hagrid's defence in order to save Buckbeak's life. He had to drag her away from the legal books she'd check out from the library, and force her to sit back and relax a bit.

He was sad that Daphne hadn't been able to stay at the castle for the holidays, or that he hadn't been able to go. It would have made people ask too many questions. Their Occlumency with Dumbledore was coming along well. While they couldn't keep him out yet, they were both able to push him out of their minds after a few minutes.

Harry had noticed Dumbledore looking at him sadly several times, before the headmaster had been able to school his features to a more jovial look. He wondered what that had been all about.

At their third lesson, Harry asked about Sirius Black, and why some people had told him not to go looking for him. Daphne sat next to him, waiting for the headmaster's answer. She, like everyone else, knew about Peter Pettigrew and the twelve Muggles Black had killed when he blew up the street.

Dumbledore sighed. "Harry, you must understand, when you were young, you parents had gone into hiding. They were hidden by a Fidelius Charm. I had offered to be their secret keeper, but your father chose another. Your father and Sirius Black best friends, almost brothers, whilst here at Hogwarts. In fact, Sirius Black is your Godfather."

Harry sat there stunned. A mass murderer was his Godfather?

"Your father had chosen Sirius Black as their secret keeper. Unfortunately, he betrayed your parents to Voldemort that Halloween night, and he found you."

"He was their best friend and he betrayed them?" Harry said, anger rising.

Daphne quickly wrapped her arms around Harry. "Oh Harry, I'm so sorry." she whispered in his ear. His anger quickly dissipated, but was replaced with heart wrenching sorrow. For the first time in a long time, Harry cried for the life he could have had, if not for the betrayal of his father's best friend.

X x x x x x x

"Harry," said Professor Lupin, on the first night of their Patronus training, 'Are you sure about this? This is very advanced magic, well beyond the Ordinary Wizarding Level."

"I'm sure." said Harry quickly.

"Well, everything is prepared," Lupin said pointing at a trunk in the middle of the defence classroom. "Now the spell I'm going to teach you is called the Patronus Charm, did you ever hear of it?"

Harry shook his head.

"The Patronus is a positive force, and for the wizard who could conjure one, it acts as a shield with the Dementors feeding on it, rather than him." said Lupin as he stood in front of the chest containing the Boggart. " Now in order for it to work, you need to think of a memory, not just any memory, but a very happy memory, a very powerful one. Can you do this?"

Harry nodded again.

"Good," Lupin began, "Close your eyes. Explore your past. Do you have a memory? Lose yourself in it. Allow it to fill you up, and speak the incantation 'Expecto Patronum'."

"Expecto Patronum." parroted Harry.

"Very good." said Lupin turning to the trunk. 'Shall we?"

"Yes." said Harry.

With that, Lupin opened the trunk's lid, and a Dementor flew out toward Harry. Raising his wand, the young boy cried "Expecto Patronum!"

Nothing.

"Expecto Patronum!" he called again, and again nothing.

His vision started to fade, and a woman's screams could be heard echoing in his mind.

'_Stand aside you silly girl!'_

'_No!'_

'_She will be mine..'_

'_She will be mine…..'_

Darkness finally claimed him.

Opening his eyes, the first thing he saw was the worried face of his Defence professor.

"Here we go." said the shabby looking man, as he pulled Harry into a sitting position. Looking around, Harry saw no sign of the Dementor-Boggart. He also saw he was on the floor, again. He was disappointed in himself .

"I didn't expect you to get it the first time." said Lupin, handing Harry a chocolate frog. 'That would have been remarkable." he finished with a chuckle.

Harry took a bite, and warmth began spreading through his body. He hadn't realized how cold he was.

Helping Harry to his feet, Lupin asked, "So what memory did you use?"

"The first time I rode a broom." said Harry.

"No that's not good enough, not nearly good enough." Lupin replied, shaking his head.

"Well, there haven't been to many really happy memories in my life Professor." Harry said, looking down at his feet.

Lupin furrowed his brow, wondering exactly what the boy meant by that. He decided not to press the issue for now.

"There is another though." said Harry, "It's not really a memory, but it's the happiest I've ever felt." he finished, looking up at his Professor.

"Is it powerful" said Lupin, to which Harry nodded. "Well, let's give it a try shall we?"

Harry readied himself as Lupin opened the lid once more, Dementor leaping out at him.

"EXPECTO PATRONUM!" shouted Harry, and instantly, a bright white erupted from his wand, beginning to drive the Dementor back.

What happened next shocked the Professor. The white light began to take shape. Seconds later, a majestic stag raced toward the Boggart-Dementor, and impaled it's great antlers into the Boggart's torso. With a shriek, the Boggart quickly retreated back into the trunk, just as Lupin slammed the lid shut. A look of pure shock, was etched on his face as he stared wide eyed at the corporeal Patronus standing before him, searching for any more threats.

Seeing no threats in the immediate area, the glowing stag turned to Harry and seemed to evaluate him. Remus walked up beside Harry, and in a shock voice said "This is incredible Harry. Most adults can only manage a Patronus shield, or just a mist. You've conjured a fully corporeal Patronus on only your second try. Amazing. You are a very powerful wizard Harry. Twenty points to Gryffindor."

Harry let the charm drop, and took a seat at one of the desks.

"I think that's enough for now." he said feeling a little chilled, and tired.

Lupin took a seat next to him, and handed him another chocolate frog, "I think you could have easily beaten out your father Harry, that that is saying something. He was very talented and very powerful as well."

"I was thinking of-" said Harry, "-a dream I had once."

"Go on," Lupin encouraged.

"In the dream, I have a wife and son. He'd just been born, and I was holding him in my arms." Harry said with a smile, "He had black hair like mine, and dark blue eyes, like his mother. I don't even know if it's real or my imagination, but- it's the happiest I've ever felt."

What he didn't say was that the woman was somehow familiar. He hadn't been able to figure out why, just that it's how it was.

X x x x x x x

The night after it appeared that Crookshanks had eaten Scabbers, Harry was in bed, looking over the Marauder's Map. He saw Argus Filch, sulking down the Defence corridor. Daphne was asleep in her bed, and the twins were lingering in the kitchens.

Turning a flap to the fourth floor, he saw a name that shouldn't be there. Peter Pettigrew.

"That's not possible." he whispered to himself.

Coming to a quick decision, he jumped out of bed quietly, and stepped into his trainers. He looked at the map again, and saw there was no one near "Pettigrew's" label, and made his way out of Gryffindor tower.

Creeping down the fourth floor corridor, wand tip lit, he approached where the label said Pettigrew was, but he didn't see anyone. Looking down at the map, he saw Pettigrew coming closer and closer. Looking up, he frantically searched for any sign of some one, but seeing no one. The label moved around his, and Harry could still see no one.

Pettigrew's label was moving down the hallway, around a corner, and away from him. Looking at the map again, he suddenly noticed 'Severus Snape" approaching the corridor he was in quickly.

"Oh shite!" he yelled in a whisper. Snape was about to turn the corner. Quickly tapping his wand to the map, he muttered "Mischief Managed" clearing the map, and stuffing it in his hoodie's pocket before turning out the light of his wand causing the corridor to go pitch black.

Very quickly though, Professor Snape appeared in front of him, wand lit and looking at him in suspicion.

"Potter." he sneered. 'What are you doing, wandering the corridors at night?" he asked.

"I was sleepwalking sir." said Harry.

"How extraordinarily like your father you are," said Snape. "he too was exceedingly arrogant. Always strutting about the castle."

"My dad didn't strut." Harry said calmly. He was glad his Occlumency training was helping him stay in control of his emotions better. 'Nor do I. Now if you don't mind, I would appreciate it if you would lower your wand."

Glaring at Harry, Professor Snape said. "Turn out your pockets."

Harry hesitated.

"Turn. Out. Your Pockets." Snape repeated more forcefully.

Doing as he was told, Harry pulled the cleared map from his jacket pocket.

'What's this?" Snape asked quickly pointing at the bundle of old parchment.

"Just a spare bit of parchment." said Harry.

"Really?" Snape asked, voice dripping with sarcasm. "Open it."

Looking at the greasy git for a moment, Harry opened the map.

Snape place the tip of his lit wand on the bundle of parchment and said, "reveal your secrets."

Writing began forming across the map. "Read it." said Snape

Looking down at the map Harry read aloud, "Messers Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot, and Prongs offer their compliments to Professor Snape, and-" reading the next part, Harry didn't know if he should laugh, or run for his life.

"Go on.." Snape drawled.

"-and request that he kiss this map's arse." Harry finished.

Snape's face contorted in fury as he spat, "Why you insolent little!"

"Professor," a voice interrupted. It was Lupin.

Turning to face the new arrival Snape said, "Well, well, well, Lupin. Out for a little walk in the moon light, are we?"

"Harry," said Lupin, looking at said boy. "Are you alright." eyes flickering toward the parchment in his hand.

'That remains to be seen." said Snape while snatching the bundle of parchment from Harry's hand. "I have just now confiscated a rather curious artifact from Mr. Potter. Take a look Lupin, this is suppose to be you area of expertise." He said handing the parchment to Professor Lupin. "Clearly it's full of dark magic."

"Oh I seriously doubt that Severus," said Lupin, trying to hold back a laugh as he read the Marauder's reply to Professor Snape. "It looks as though it's merely a parchment designed to insult anyone who tries to read it. I suspect it's a Zonko product."

Snape tried grabbing the map from Lupin, but the werewolf quickly moved it out of Severus' reach." Never the less, I shall investigate any hidden qualities it may posses. It is after all, as you said, my area of expertise."

Snape sneered his usual greasy sneer.

"Harry could you come with me please?" said Lupin, motioning for Harry to follow him.

'Oh crap. I am still in trouble.' Harry thought as he followed the Defence Professor.. 'At least I got away from Snape. What ever Professor Lupin does is bound to be better than that greasy git of a professor.'

x x x x x x x x

Note: There you have it. I thought it was funny to have the map tell Snape to kiss it's ass, I laughed ten minutes straight when I though of Daniel Radcliffe and Alan Rickman acting out the scene in the third movie. Sorry if this chapter isn't up to what you've come to expect. I'm a little out of it because of medications I'm on.


	15. Marauders and Snivelling Rats

**Chapter Fourteen.**

**Marauders and Sniveling Rats.**

Opening the door and striding in Professor Lupin ordered Harry inside.

"Now I haven't the faintest idea how this map came to be in your possession Harry, but quite frankly I am astounded that you didn't hand it in."

He turned to look back at a meek looking Harry.

"Did it never occur to you that this map in the hands of Sirius Black, is a map to you? He asked.

Harry could only shake his head.

"You know your father never set much store by the rules either, but he and your mother, gave their lives to save yours. Gambling their sacrifice by wondering about the castle, at night, unprotected seems to me a pretty poor way to repay then."

Now Harry felt even worse. He hung his head in shame. _'Wow, twist the knife further why don't you?' _he thought.

"Now I will not cover up for you again is that clear?" said Lupin.

"Yes sir," Harry all but whispered.

"Now I want you to return to your dormitory, and stay there. Don't take any detours, because if you do, I shall know." Lupin said pointing at the map.

Harry nodded his head, and began to turn away when a thought came to him.

"Sir?" he said turning back to his defence professor. "I don't thin that map always works."

Remus looked at him with furrowed eyebrows. "What do you mean?"

"Well, the reason I was in the corridor was because I saw a name on the map. The name of some one I know to be dead." said Harry.

"Who?"

"Peter Pettigrew." answered Harry.

Remus paled, and shook his head slightly. "That's not possible."

"It's just what I saw sir. When I was in the corridor, the label walked right past me, but I didn't see anyone. Then Professor Snape caught me, and that's when you came in."

Leaning heavily against his desk Remus opened the map and activated it. Searching it for a few moments, he found the label marked 'Peter Pettigrew' on the second floor. He appeared to be making his way down to the entrance hall.

Quickly closing the map he rushed to the door saying "Come with me!" whilst drawing his wand. The pair quickly made their way to the first floor. "Wand out Harry." Lupin ordered. "Do you know the stunning spell?"

Harry nodded his head following his Professor down several flights of stairs. Arriving in the entrance hall, Lupin looked down at the map. Seeing Pettigrew's label near the doors, he rushed forward.

"There!" he shouted, pointing at a rat who began scurrying away. He began shooting stunners at it, but the rat was weaving and dodging the spells. Harry saw the rat clearly now. "Scabbers?" he said out loud, before he began firing stunners as well. The rat was frantic now, squeaking loudly.

"Wingardium Leviosa!" shouted Harry, pointing at the rat. Now floating helplessly in the air, the rat began flailing wildly until Remus stunned him.

Pale and shaking, Professor Lupin conjured a sturdy looking metal cage, and Harry carefully levitated the rat inside, and closed the door. Lupin then added and unbreakable charm, and locking spell to the cage.

He looked very, very angry. "We need to see the Headmaster immediately. If my guess is correct, then an innocent man has spent twelve years in Azkaban." said Remus.

Startled Harry looked up at the shabby looking Professor. "What? You mean this is really Pettigrew?"

"Yes Harry." Remus sighed, as they began to make their way to Professor Dumbledore's office. "The map you had, was created by the Marauders. I am Moony, and this," he indicated to the unconscious rat, "is Wormtail."

Harry fell silent as he began to process this new information. "He's an Animagi isn't he?"

"Yes Harry," said Lupin, "Your father and Sirius Black were also Animagi. Your father was a magnificent Stag, like you Patronus. Sirius Black, is a large black dog, a Grim."

Harry nearly tripped over his feet, and on to his face when he heard that."

"Harry?" Remus asked. "What's wrong?"

"This past summer," began Harry, "When I escaped from the Dursley's. Before I called the Knight Bus, there was a this big black dog that came up to me. He was really skinny, so I gave him a couple of mince meat pies Mrs. Weasley sent me. I thought it strange that he seemed to understand what I was saying. I figured since Hedwig seems to understand, that there were magical dogs as well."

"You're saying you might have already come across Sirius Black and he didn't try to kill you?" asked Lupin in a shocked voice.

"Yes sir." said Harry, " He seemed like a very nice dog, and even whined when I said I couldn't take him with me to Hogwarts."

They continued their trek up the stairs toward the Headmaster's office. Remus was clearly upset, but also seemed to be at a loss for words at the events of tonight.

"Sir?" Harry asked tentatively.

"Yes Harry?"

"You're a werewolf aren't you?"

Remus nearly dropped the cage when Harry asked the question. "What makes you say that?" he asked, a worried look on his face.

"You said your name was 'Moony', and that my dad, Sirius and Peter were Animagi. You didn't say what you were. Plus you were gone from class when there was a full moon, and the comments Snape made tonight." Harry explained.

"I see you've inherited your mother's intelligence Harry." he said with a sigh. "And you father's sense of mischief. They would be proud." he finished with a slight smile.

"It's okay Professor. Hermione and I don't think any less of you." said Harry. "You've been by far the best Defence Professor we've had since being at Hogwarts. Hermione was the first to start piecing things together. Your nickname just confirmed it for me."

"Thank you Harry." said Remus as they arrived in front of the stone Gargoyle that guarded Dumbledore's office. "But the to of you must keep it quiet. Professor Dumbledore went through a lot of trouble to get me this position, and we don't want parents to begin pulling their children out of school because I'm here."

"Of course sir." said Harry immediately.

The Gargoyle leapt to one side and allowed them entrance with out a password. Before they were able to knock, Dumbledore said 'Enter". Opening the door, they found Dumbledore standing in front of his desk, wearing his pyjamas and a night robe.

"What can I do for you Remus?" said Dumbledore. "I was just about to retire for the night, as you can see." he finished with a smile.

"Headmaster," began Remus. "I have just come across evidence that may prove that an innocent man has spent a good portion of his life behind bars for crimes he did not commit."

"What are you saying Remus?" Dumbledore asked, a hint of worry in his voice.

Remus lifted the cage to show Dumbledore the unconscious rat. "I present you, Peter Pettigrew. There is no doubt about it, I'd recognize this rat anywhere. He is also missing a toe. If I'm not mistaken, it was the only part of Pettigrew that was found."

Dumbledore rushed forward to get a better look as he paled at the implications. He pointed his wand at the rat, and muttered a spell. The rat's body then glowed blue, and Dumbledore immediately went to his fireplace and made a call to the head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement.

Coming back to the task at hand, he stunned the rat once again, and lifted it out of it's cage. Placing it on the floor, he silently forced the rat to change shape. Where Scabbers the Rat once was, now lay the unconscious form of a very ugly little man in tattered clothes.

Remus looked murderous, before he seemed to deflate and sank into the nearest chair and began to weep. Dumbledore petrified, and bound the traitorous rat, before returning to his floo and calling for Professor Snape to bring his strongest truth serum.

Minutes later, a very irritated looking Snape walked into the office. "I see you've finally come to your senses Headmaster. I will take great pleasure in interrogating Potter for you." he said looking at Harry, who glared at him, with a sneer, until he saw the unconscious man lying on the floor. "Who is this?" he asked.

"This is Peter Pettigrew, Severus." said Dumbledore, warily. "It would appear that Sirius Black may be innocent."

Snape looked like he was about to be sick, when the floo roared to life, and a very imposing yet slightly bleary eyed red headed woman, and two burly looking men stepped out.

"What is this about Albus?" she said in a slightly irritated tone.

"I present you with Peter Pettigrew, Madam Bones." said Dumbledore, indicating the little man on the floor.

"How can that be?" said Amelia. "Pettigrew was killed by Sirius Black."

"I think all shall be revealed shortly." said Dumbledore. "Wands out everyone." he ordered. 'This man is an illegal Animagus."

All present did as they were told, and Dumbledore reawakened, and unpetrified the squat man, who began to tremble in fear.

Amelia immediately drew a note pad and an official Legal Dictaquill.

"Severus." said Dumbledore looking at Snape. "Give him the Veritaserum."

Snape did so gleefully.

When the potion took affect Dumbledore began asking Pettigrew questions.

"What is your name?"

"P-Peter Pettigrew." said the glassy eyed man.

"Did Sirius Black betray the Potters?" said Dumbledore, with force.

"No."

"Were you their secret keeper?" asked Madam Bones.

"Yes. They thought that Sirius Black was too obvious a choice, so they switched with me, and let everyone believe Black was their secret keeper."

"Did Sirius Black commit any of the crimes he was accused of?" she asked again.

"No. I revealed the Potters' location to the Dark Lord. I killed those twelve muggles, and cut off my finger to frame Sirius Black."

Madam Bones immediately stunned the hapless man. "I've heard enough." she said in disgust. " I shall keep him in custody until I can arrange an emergency meeting of the Wizengamot in the morning. I'll have to keep this quiet, or Cornelius might try to stick his idiot nose where it doesn't belong."

"I trust you can arrange a fair trial for Sirius Black tomorrow as well?" asked Dumbledore, eyes twinkling again.

"Of course, if you can bring him in," said Amelia. "but he may not need it. With Pettigrew's testimony, I can force Cornelius to drop all charges against him, and call off the manhunt."

"Very well." said Dumbledore with a smile.

Soon Pettigrew was levitated through the floo, Madam Bones following quickly along with the pair of Aurors.

"Thank you Severus, that will be all." said Dumbledore, dismissing the Potions Master, who nodded curtly, and walked out of the office, thunderous look on his face.

Harry and the two professors spent the next hour discussing what to do next. How to get in contact with Sirius, and let him know Pettigrew was caught. Harry managed to convince Professor Lupin to return the map so that he could keep an eye out for the escaped convict over the weekend.

Around midnight, Harry was dismissed back to his dorm to get some sleep, as the two professors continued talking about this turn of events.

X x x x x x x x

Saturday found Harry and Daphne walking along the shore of the Black Lake. He'd filled her in on what had happened he night before last. It had come as a shock to everyone who'd read the Daily Prophet that Peter Pettigrew was in fact alive, and guilty of the crimes that Sirius had been accused of. Minister Fudge had signed a full pardon for Sirius just this morning. He was free.

After a few tears from Harry, and words of comfort from Daphne, they continued on their slow trek around the lake. They were enjoying a comfortable silence until, they heard the voice of the last person they wanted to see.

"Yuck!" said Draco Malfoy, flanked by his two goons. "Find yourself a pet half-blood Greengrass? I can't imagine why you'd drag your own name through the mud by cavorting with Gryffindor filth. Especially Potter."

"Better than being so inbred I can barely see straight. Just like you Malfoy." she retorted in her trademark cold voice. "How does it feel to practically be your own great uncle?" Harry had to laugh.

"How dare you speak to me that way you dirty blood traitor whore!" Malfoy spat, reaching for his wand.

Daphne and Harry'd already drawn their wands and were prepared to defend themselves when they were interrupted by a large black dog, who jumped in front of the pair in a protective stance, facing the Slytherin trio.

Crabbe, and Goyle stared stupidly before Malfoy ordered them to attack. They didn't get very far before they found themselves stunned stupid…. erm… stupider. Daphne had disarmed Draco, and then transfigured his clothes into a white very revealing nighty before hitting him with a spell that caused him to evacuate his bowels, and his bladder. She stunned him, and applied a makeup spell.

Pink eye shadow was definitely _not_ Malfoy's season.

Harry finished off Tweedledumb and Tweedledee by dressing them in pink tutus, and attaching them, via sticking charm, by the lips.

The large black dog fell to the ground, belly up kicking his legs, laughing. It sounded more like a broken howl than a laugh.

"Sirius!" said Harry, looking down at the howling animal.

The dog immediately stopped laughing and righted itself. Looking at the pair with fear in his eyes for a moment before letting out a resigned sigh, and transforming into a very dirty looking man.

"How did you know?" asked Sirius.

"Professor Lupin told me." said Harry.

"Moony?" Sirius said in an awed voice. "He's here? And a Professor to boot?"

Nodding his head, Harry continued, "We caught Peter Pettigrew night before last. The stupid rat was trying to make a run for it, but we caught him using the Marauders' Map."

"You caught him?" Sirius said quickly. "Using our own map no less?"

"Madam Bones leaned on the Minister to sign a full pardon for you this morning." Harry said excitedly. 'You're free!"

Sirius stared at his best friend's son for a long moment, before shouting out in joy and grabbing the boy up in a bone crushing hug, spinning them around.

"I'm Free!' he cried when he put Harry down on his feet, tears of joy falling from his eyes. Getting down on one knee in front of Harry, he held him by the shoulders and said, "I don't know how I can ever repay you Harry. I've got to tell you. I'm your godfather."

"I know." said Harry with a smile. "Professor Dumbledore told me, when we still thought you were guilty."

"Thank you." whispered Sirius before giving Harry another quick hug.

He looked over at the young lady whom had been silent and standing a few steps away the entire time.

"And who is this lovely young lady Harry?" he asked in what he thought was a charming voice.

"This is Daphne Greengrass." Harry said, putting his arm around her shoulders, "She's my best friend."

"A pleasure to meet you Ms. Greengrass." said Sirius, taking her hand and kissing her knuckles.

"A pleasure to meet you as well Lord Black." she responded with a curtsey.

"Are you in Gryffindor as well?" said Sirius.

"I'm in Slytherin actually." replied Daphne.

"Ah, Harry you ol' hound." said Sirius, giving Harry an exaggerated wink, causing the boy to blush.

"Come on you mangy mutt," Harry grumbled, "we've got to get you to the Headmaster's office. The Dementors haven't been recalled yet."

They set off fro the castle at a quick pace. Sirius found great amusement in scaring the daylights out of several students whom were still of the mindset that Sirius was a crazy mass murderer. Several times he'd sent students running for their lives by yelling "RAHH!" while raising his arms over his head in a threatening manner.

"Mr. Black!" shouted Professor McGonagall. "Will you please stop scaring the daylights out of my students!"

"Yes Professor!" said Sirius, trying and failing to look repentant.

"Oh will you ever grow up Sirius?" said the Transfiguration Professor with a sigh.

"Nope!" said Sirius with a grin. "And I hope my godson follows my good example."

Harry and Daphne smiled, as McGonagall groaned. Looking up at the trio, she was surprised to see Daphne standing so close to Harry.

"What are you doing here Ms. Greengrass." she asked the girl. 'I was unaware that you were acquainted with Mr. Potter."

'We've been friends since last year ma'am." Daphne answered without hesitation. They both knew there was no longer any point in hiding their friendship.

"Well," said Harry with a crooked grin. "I couldn't think of a better way to make our friendship public."

"Indeed." said Professor McGonagall. "Ten points to Gryffindor and Slytherin for school unity." she finished with what Harry thought was almost a smile.

"It's good to be back!" said Sirius in a loud voice.

X x x x x x x x

Note: There you go. I'd gone over how this might play out in my head time and time again. I couldn't think of anything good, so I just started writing, and it spilled out onto the page. I couldn't stop. Lol. This story will indeed go into GOF, and OoTP. I don't know about HBP, but it's a possibility. Moldyshorts is known to work slowly. Took the tosser two years before he started his war in earnest. He WILL come back at the end of GOF, so no bitching from those of you who have bitched before. In GOF romance will be in the air, and they shall share their first kiss. You'll just have to wait and see!.


	16. Luna Can See It

**Chapter Fifteen**

**Luna Can See It…**

Several weeks following the capture of Peter Pettigrew, and subsequent exoneration of Sirius, found Harry and company, now including Daphne, Tracy, and Blaise sitting at the Gryffindor table for lunch one Saturday afternoon. The Group had gotten some looks from the rest of the Gryffindors, and murderous looks from Slytherin, but since then, things had calmed down and most Gryffs took little notice.

Slytherin on the other hand, didn't take well to the trio's association with the lions very well. Nott, Malfoy, Parkinson, Crabbe, Goyle and Flint had been sent to the hospital wing no less than seven times since Harry and Daphne's friendship was made public.

The first encounter had been an outright duel between Harry and his friends, against the six close minded Slytherin idiots, whom between them all had a combined I.Q. of only 120. Crabbe and Goyle really brought their numbers down. Hermione and Neville had suffered nasty cases of an enlarged nose, and boils respectively. Harry had praised Neville for his performance in the fight. He'd knocked Flint on his arse with a punch to the face, before Harry finished him off with an over powered stunner.

At the moment, the group was laughing at a joke Neville had told. All six of them had become close in a short period of time. Unknown to any of them, they were about to add a seventh.

"Hello Merlin." came a dreamy voice from behind Harry.

"Huh?" Harry replied, showing his mastery of the Queen's English. He turned to her with a confused look.

"I'm Luna Lovegood," she continued, "and you're Merlin Ambrosius, or Ambrosinus, Which ever you like. You were known by many names in the sixth century." she finished in a matter of fact way.

"I-I'm Harry." he replied dumbly.

"Oh I know." said Luna. "You're Harry Potter in this life. You've lived another life before, and you're destined for greatness once again." she paused tilting her head, looking into Harry's eyes with an unsettling penetrating stare, "even if you don't want to be. Which makes you the right person for it. You don't seek greatness, as it was in your past."

She turned to look at Daphne, who was sitting right beside Harry. "You will have five children someday. Three girls and two boys."

With that, she turned and skipped her way out of the great hall, leaving six very confused students in her wake.

"What was that?" Harry asked, looking to the others for help.

"I have no idea," said Hermione.

Tracy and Blaise, merely shrugged and went returned to their homework. Hermione and Neville were looking at Harry, trying to figure out what the strange girl meant by what she said. Daphne had a strangely wistful look on her face, as she glanced at Harry, who was currently staring at his half eaten sandwich, quill still clutched tightly in his hand over a now stained sheaf of parchment.

"I see you've all just met Luna." said a new voice. It was Ginny, and she wore a smirk.

"Indeed we have." said Hermione. "Is she.. You know.. alright in the head?"

"I think so." said Ginny. "She's always been strange. More so since she saw her mother die. She's always been able to.. see….things, the rest of us can't. I think she's an aura reader or a seer."

X x x x x x x x x

The next day, Harry was sitting by the lake alone, reflecting on what Luna had said to him.

'_Was that what my dreams have been?' _he asked himself _'Was I really Merlin? There's no way.'_

"Hello again Merlin." said the same dreamy voice from the day before, causing Harry to jump slightly.

"Oh, hello again Luna." said Harry, turning to face her.

"You're going to have to protect her you know." said Luna, looking out toward the lake, or perhaps beyond.

"Who?" said Harry.

"Daphne." said the girl with a vacant expression. " You'll have to protect her from those who want what you have. She is a very powerful witch, and can take care of herself, but there are those who will wish to posses her. For her blood purity and beauty of course."

Harry felt a cold weight settle in his stomach, as he valiantly tried to squash the murderous feeling he got when he thought of others trying to 'posses' Daphne as though she were nothing more than a trophy.

"How could some one get her in that way if she can take care of herself?" asked Harry.

"Her father can be forced into signing a marriage contract." said Luna, still staring out across the lake. "There are a few pureblood families, most of which are older than hers and were in league with you-know-who, that can be quite dangerous when they see something they want." she looked at him.

"The Malfoys in particular." said Luna. "If not Daphne, then her little sister Astoria. It's known that the Malfoys have had their eyes on both girls since their births."

"How do you know this?" Harry asked.

"My father has been friends with Lord Greengrass since they were in school together." Luna answered. "I felt it would be important for you to know this, so you can claim what is rightfully yours. She will be fifteen in a year, and I'm sure there will be no shortage of marriage offers when she is."

"Claim what's mine?" said Harry.

"Don't worry." said Luna. "You have over a year to figure out your own feelings. So there is no rush yet. Just don't take to long."

She turned to walk away when she suddenly stiffened, and turned back to him. Her eyes seemed to be glowing. In a strange voice that sounded as though several people were speaking through her at once she said, _"The servant shall escape. Shunned by his peers, alone and afraid, he shall seek out his master, and resurrect evil. The Chosen, and those loyal, shall be all that stands against the darkness. He and his friends, the seven." _

She looked down at him and finished, _"The answers you seek shall be found at __**Llyn y Fan Fawr**__, in the Black Mountain."_

She closed her eyes and seemed to breathe deeply. She swayed on her feet for a moment before she opened her eyes.

"Oh," she said looking around with her usual dreamy expression. "I could have sworn I was heading in the other direction. I think I have an infestation of Wrackspurts. I shall have to do something about it, I can't have my brain all fuzzy so much."

She turned and skipped back up toward the castle, leaving a scared Harry Potter behind with his thoughts.

X x x x x x x

Harry had gone to see Dumbledore immediately about what Luna had said. Dumbledore sat at his desk in quiet contemplation for several moments before speaking.

"It would appear that Ms. Lovegood is a seer, as well as an aura reader, as Ms. Weasley has claimed." said Dumbledore in a pensive voice. " She has already revealed to you part of what I had been planning to tell you. I will also be meeting with her on the importance of keeping this information secret, and if necessary, instruct her in Occlumency as well."

Harry was stunned, to say the least. "So, my dreams are actually….. Memories?"

"Indeed they are." Said the headmaster in a quiet voice. "This is not something I would have ever wanted to burden you with, but it would seem that my old master Nicholas Flamel was right. You are Merlin reincarnate."

"But how can that be?" said Harry. "I don't know any more magic than Hermione does. How can I be _HIM_?"

"While you may not ever have his knowledge, you do have his power." said Dumbledore peering over his half moon spectacles. "Knew from the moment you were born that you would be powerful, and until recently, I never knew just how much so. Or rather, never wanted to face the reality. For that reality meant greater burdens for you starting at a young age, and it seems, that those events are already in motion….."

Dumbledore went on to tell Harry everything he had learned from the Flamels about the legends of Merlin, and what it meant to for Harry. He also revealed the prophecy made just before his birth that forced his parents into hiding. It was a lot for Harry to take in at once, but after sitting silently for nearly an hour, lost in his thoughts as Dumbledore waited, he looked up at the old mage with a determined look in his eyes and said, "What do I have to do?"

"We must begin your training this summer." said Dumbledore. "Unfortunately to maintain the unbreakable protections around you Aunt's home, you shall have to return for four weeks. If what Ms. Lovegood has foreseen will come to pass, then those protections will be more important than ever."

Harry grimaced. He really didn't want to go back there now that Sirius was working on building a new home in the Lake District, not far from where Daphne lives. That area seems to be a favourite among the rich.

"However," continued Dumbledore, "If you and your aunt would be willing to give a small amount of blood, I can recharge the wards within a week."

"I would give every last drop not to go back to those gits." said Harry. "I'll do it, but I doubt Aunt Petunia would be willing." Then a thought crossed his mind. "On second thought, she might give just as much for me to spend as little time there as possible, so it might work."

"Very well." Dumbledore nodded, "I shall visit you on the evening you return to the Dursleys and request your aunt donate her blood."

Dumbledore pulled an old worn looking journal from the top drawer of his desk, and handed it to Harry.

"This is one of Nicholas Flamel's many old journals on offensive and defensive magic. I want you to study this cover to cover, and we shall practice all the spells, hexes, jinxes, and curses found within, once you're able to leave your relative's home." said Dumbledore.

"Show no one Harry." said the Headmaster seriously. "You may begin teaching your closest friends Occlumency. Once they've mastered the art, then, If you choose, you may reveal to them what I've told you today. Although, I'm sure you would tell Ms. Greengrass anyway." he finished with a smile. "Fortunate she is already as good at Occlumency as you are."

X x x x x x x x x

Final exams were, as usual, a nightmare. Not so much because they were difficult, but boring to have to sit through. He'd just finished his Arithmancy final when he'd heard the news that Professor Lupin had resigned. Snivellus Snape, as Sirius called him, had let slip to the Minister during his last visit to the headmaster's office for Buckbeak's execution, that Lupin was a werewolf.

It also turned out that Buckbeak had escaped whilst the Minister, along with Dumbledore, McNair were in Hagrid's hut discussing proper protocol and last minute legal mumbo jumbo.

"The fucking arsehole." grumbled Harry as he made his way to Lupin's office. "He has a nasty prank with his greasy name on it."

Knocking on the door he waited for an answer. "Come in." came the reply.

Walking into Lupin office, Harry could see that he was already well into his packing, and in fact, nearly done.

"I can't believe that stupid git let it slip." Harry said angrily. "He did it on purpose. Sirius told me all about when you were all in school here. The bastard is letting a school boy grudge dictate his life even today. He treats me like shit because I happen to look like my father. Now you're out of the job, and we've lot the only defence professor who's been worth a damn. Even the seventh years say you're the best they've had."

Remus simply smiled as his favourite student ranted.

"There is little that can be done about it now." said the now ex professor., " It would cause Dumbledore far to much trouble for me to stay on staff here." he sighed, "Since I'm no longer your professor, I have no guilt in telling you to have fun, and prank the pants off of Snivellus. Perhaps you can tell the Weasley twins that you were asked to do so by Moony. Just don't get caught." he finished with a wicked smile.

"Yes Sir!" said Harry, with a smile. "Fred and George are going to flip when I tell them who Padfoot and Moony are."

X x x x x x x x x

The night of the Leaving Feast found Harry, Fred and George sitting at the Gryffindor table anxiously awaiting the delayed timer on the spells and powders used on ol' Snivellus' plate, goblet, and silverware.

It had taken the dastardly trio less than a day to set up, but it had taken a week to brew the proper potions, and then turn them into powders, which were then (with the help of Dobby) lightly sprinkled onto all surfaces that would be used.

Getting Snape to drink the catalyst would have been more difficult, seeing as he was one of the foremost Potions Masters around, and would be able to sniff out anything in his food. Especially with that huge nose of his.

That is where Daphne came in. Harry had gotten her to brew a colourless, odourless, and flavourless version of the twin's potion, no questions asked. With Dobby set to add it to the pitcher just before the beginning of the feast. It wouldn't affect anyone else who happened to drink from it, unless they also used Snape's flatware. The odds of that were minimal.

Harry could hardly contain his glee as he watched Snape take a drink from his goblet, and trigger the charms. Suddenly, in front of the entire Severus Snape found himself dressed in a floor length evening gown. His hair had turned blond and curly, and was sporting a magnificent set of breasts. He certainly made one very ugly woman. He suddenly let out a shriek as he stood quickly and grabbed his groin. The powder had caused his genitals to change into that of the opposite sex.

As the entire hall, even many Slytherins, broke into laughter as Snivellus bolted from the Hall. Half way through the hall though, his gown disappeared, and was left wearing nothing but women's underwear. Bra included.

Blushing deeply, Snape rushed out of the hall with the sound of hysteric laughter chasing him out.

X x x x x x x x

The train ride was a quiet affair, if a little tense with the escape of Peter Pettigrew from Azkaban. The group played exploding snap, ate sweets, and hexed their favourite ferret faced arsehole when the git decided to insult Daphne, Tracy, and Blaise for fraternizing with filthy blood traitors and mud bloods.

The twins stopped by for a half hour to chat a bit, and then left to play some more pranks on Malfoy. They really wanted to make sure he learned his lessons, and learned them well.

With the inclusion of Luna, who hadn't said another word about the Merlin thing, the compartment had to be expanded somewhat. Fortunately, a very knowledgeable sixth year was happy to help.

Soon the topic on how Buckbeak escaped was brought up in conversation.

"I wonder how he escaped?" said Hermione, with the others looking thoughtful.

"Oh I let him loose." said Luna, not looking up from her magazine.

"What?" came the startled reply from Harry, the rest looking at her in equal amazement.

Luna looked up from her magazine and elaborated. "I was walking down near Hagrid's hut looking for pixies. They are very interesting to talk to you see." she said in a dreamy voice. "I happened to see the minister, Dumbledore, and a hooded man with a very large axe walking towards Hagrid's hut. When I got there, they'd already gone inside, and I saw the Hippogriff chained up in the pumpkin patch. He looked very sad, so I let him go, and then continued my search for pixies." she finished as thought discussing the weather before returning to her magazine.

Soon each student, after praising Luna for her deed, began taking up various other ways to pass the time.

Hermione was reading Hogwarts A History. Neville was talking quietly with Blaise , Tracey and Daphne. Luna quietly continued reading her magazine called "The Quibbler" upside down. Harry had just drifted off to sleep, thoughts of the Quidditch World Cup on his mind.

Sirius had written him to let him know he had gotten together with Mr. Weasley and acquired tickets. Mr. and Mrs. Weasley knew of his fall out with Ron, but invited him to stay at the Burrow the night before the match, for they also knew, that Harry was rather good friends with the twins. Besides, Molly Weasley still looked upon Harry as her seventh son.

X x x x x x x x

_Gwrtheyrn and Myrddin flung curse after curse at each other. As they closed the distance Myrddin's enemy drew a staff, and the two began battling in hand to hand combat. The staffs would explode in a shower of sparks where they made contact with each other, as the two men continued their deadly dance._

_Myrddin pinned Gwrtheyn's staff to the ground using his own. He then reached up and ripped the mask of this opponent's face. Instead of the face of a twisted warlord, Myrddin found himself looking at a very ugly snake like face, with glowing red eyes._

X x x x x x x x

Note: I've had a bad case of writers block lately. I'm due at the Hospital tomorrow for some very unpleasant x-rays of my digestive system to see how far the disease has progressed, and if I need stronger medications. So I'm off to bed for now.


	17. Goodbyes For A Short While

Note: For those who were wondering what happened to Buckbeak, I totally spaced on that one. I've gone back to the end of the previous chapter and added a surprise in regards to Buckbeak. Also reading over the story on FFN, I've found a bunch of errors. Though I am not prone to dyslexia, it seems that insomnia, and medications can be major contributors in temporary symptoms. I would like to know if there are any reliable people I can bother for a short while as Betas to go over my previous entries and correct the many small mistakes. I'd have done this myself, but am too lazy, and the document manager here only seems to support 15 documents at a time. So if there are any volunteers, who are also not just plane A-holes, I would appreciate it. On with the Show.

Chapter Sixteen.

Goodbyes For A Short While

Harry's eyes shot open. He found he was once again in the compartment with his friends on their way back to London, and not in some apocalyptic battle with some ancient dark wizard who turned into another much more recent dark wizard. Not wanting to let on that anything was wrong, he sat up slowly while rubbing the sleep from his eyes, not noticing the slightly worried glance Daphne was giving him.

Hermione, however, did see the looks Daphne had been giving Harry ever since they'd admitted to being friends. It was obvious to Hermione that Daphne had feelings for Harry, but the poor boy was just clueless to it all. Of course he was affectionate with Daphne, but he was also affectionate with her as well. His affection for the young pure-blooded witch seemed to be different though.

Hermione knew without a doubt that Harry did indeed care for her, but was it the same he felt for Daphne? It was obvious to Hermione that Harry felt something for the Slytherin, but wasn't sure what it might mean.

'_Do I even have a chance with him?' _she asked herself, looking discreetly over the top of her favourite book.

Hermione knew, if she would ever have a chance with him, she would just have to be there for him when he needed support no matter what anyone else says. She would try not to smother him either. If he chose Daphne over her, she would hold no ill will toward either of them.

Daphne looked over at Harry and with a smile she said "Hey, you're awake."

"Yeah." mumbled Harry, sleep still in his voice. "How long was I out?"

"About an hour." replied Daphne.

Neville seeing Harry awake asked "Hey Harry. I bet you're really looking forward to the World Cup eh?"

"Oh yeah!" Harry said, perking up immediately to which all the girls rolled their eyes slightly.

Harry turned to Daphne. "Did your father manage to arrange things with Mr. Weasley and Sirius about getting tent sites right next to each other?"

"Oh yes." said Daphne. " He managed to get three right next to each other, so we all wouldn't have to wander around looking for each other."

"Fantastic." said Harry with a wide grin.

The train was still an hour away from King's Cross station when the question of how long was Harry sentenced to Durzkaban this summer.

"Only a week." said Harry with more cheer than this time last year. "He said if my aunt and I gave a few drops of blood, with a good bit of magical charging by Dumbledore, I'll be out of there in a week. Dumbledore says I will have to start carrying an emergency portkey on me at all times in case I have to make an escape. Should I ever be in danger, the portkey would take me directly to Number 4 where I'm protected by the wards."

"I still say one week with those nasty people is still one week too long." said Daphne with a hint of malice in her voice.

X x x x x x x x x

Soon the Express pulled into King's Cross and the group unloaded their trunks. With a few goodbyes, and a longer than normal hug for Harry from Hermione, they split up to meet their families.

"Come on Harry," said Daphne grabbing hold of his arm and dragging him off to a spot near the end of the platform. "I want you to finally meet my parents."

"Okay." said Harry uncertainly.

"It's okay Harry," Daphne reassured, "They're going to love you. They know you're a very good person." she said as they weaved through the crowd.

Soon Harry saw a blond haired woman, whom Daphne seemed to be the spitting image of, except the woman had brown eyes, and a dark brown haired man with Daphne's deep blue eyes. Behind them was a dark haired girl who seemed to be no older than ten. Astoria no doubt. She seemed to have mischief in her eyes, which worried Harry a little.

As they approached Daphne let go of his arm and rushed to envelope her parents in a hug before turning to back to Harry and introducing him to her parents.

"Mum, dad," she began with a smile. "This is my friend Harry," she said pulling him closer to the group.

She looked at him and said "Harry, this is my mum Arianna Greengrass, and my father Samuel Greengrass, and this little menace," she pointed at the dark haired girl behind her parents who glared slightly, "is Astoria."

Harry stepped forward and shook Arianna's hand before shaking Samuel's. The taller man was giving Harry the critical eye, much to his discomfort, but held his gaze. While Arianna and Astoria found this quite amusing, Daphne was bordering on outrage.

'So you're the young man our Daphne speaks so highly and frequently of?" said Samuel. Daphne's eyes widened and she blushed deeply, and Astoria's eyes danced with mirth.

"I think so sir." said Harry. " I'm pretty sure that Daphne doesn't know any other Harrys but me." he smiled at the end.

"Indeed." said Samuel before smiling back. "Well, Harry, looking forward to the World Cup I take it?"

"Yes sir," Harry said with enthusiasm, "I can't wait"

Together the group made their way to the barrier between worlds. Harry and Daphne went first, Astoria snickering the whole time. Arianna had a knowing smile, while Samuel looked pensive, until his wife poked him in the ribs.

On the other side of the barrier, Harry was met by the sight of three very disgruntled looking relatives. Turning to Daphne he said to her in a lo voice, "This is goodbye for now. At least I'll be with Sirius in a week or so. I won't be that bad. I have something to look forward to." he finished with a sad smile.

Daphne hugged him tightly, tears threatening to spill from her eyes as Harry hugged her just as fiercely.

"I'll write you often okay?" she whispered. "We'll be together again soon." she said before she leaned in and kissed him on the cheek as she let go.

Turning away from her he placed his hand over the spot on his cheek where she kissed. It felt tingly to him, in a very pleasant way. He continued his walk toward his relatives, who looked very anxious to leave. His uncle looked as though he were about to burst a blood vessel.

"I don't want that little tart around!" he said "I'll have none of your freakishness this summer. Do you hear?"

"Don't call her that," said Harry strongly as they approached the car. "or I'll just have to tell my Godfather, the deranged mass murderer Sirius Black that you've been treating me poorly. He wanted me to write him often letting him know if you were all behaving yourselves. If not, he said he might just have to come by and teach you all some proper manners. You can say what you want about me, but _never _utter a single derogatory syllable about my Daphne or you will be sorry. " he finished as his magic began to swirl around him slightly in a very intimidating manner.

His uncle turned an alarming shade of purple as Petunia squeaked in terror when Harry said Sirius Black was his godfather and when his magic began to show itself. Not since she had last been in the presence of that freak headmaster of that freak school had she ever felt anything like it.

"Vernon!" she hissed when she finally composed herself. "Do as he says! It's better to ignore him than risk more of those freaks showing up at our doorstep! After that freakish old man comes tonight, the boy will only be here a week, and then we won't have to see him until next summer. Leave him alone."

"Not to mention a mass murderer who is very concerned for my well being Aunt Petunia." said Harry with an evil smile. She whimpered in fright.

X x x x x x x x

Three days after Harry arrived back at Number 4, he was already going stir crazy. He had gotten a note from Daphne soon after Dumbledore had left. The ritual seemed to leave him weary.

Daphne complained that her sister would not shut up with questions about him, and her almost constant teasing. Harry was sure that another bout of 'accidental' magic was inevitable. "Wonder what colour she'll turn her hair this time?" Harry said out loud. "I'm not so sure it will be accidental this time." he finished looking over at Hedwig, who seemed to smile.

Laying back on his bed, he looked over at the calendar. "Just four more days, and we blow this popsicle stand."

The Dursleys hadn't given him any trouble so far. They'd taken to mostly ignoring him. Vernon seemed to desperately want to say something , no doubt insulting of Harry's character, but seemed to barely contain himself.

Petunia seemed afraid of him, and had even begun to feed him normal sized portions at meal times. Not that he really needed it, Dobby would see to his needs. He still had a handful of chores to do, and would usually cook breakfast, but nothing like in years past where he was the Dursley's own personal house elf.

X x x x x x x x

Finally the day had arrived. He would finally be leaving this place for another year. Harry had studied the Flamel journal from cover to cover. There were a lot of very inventive ways of killing Dark Wizards, but most of all, making sure you survived a fight by using distraction, whether it be by transfiguring an object or conjuring to block powerful curses and spells.

He really wanted to know what spell was used in his dream that turned the ground in to lava. Then there was still the matter of what Luna had predicted. _**Llyn y Fan Fawr **_he had discovered was a natural lake at the foot of a small mountain in Southern Wales. He knew he would eventually have to go there to see what Luna was on about.

He was there, sitting on his packed trunk, anxiously awaiting the arrival of Sirius, and being able to visit Daphne, who lived close to where Sirius had his new home built.

He heard the doorbell ring down stairs, and waited, with a smirk on his face, for his Aunt to answer the door.

He heard a shriek downstairs and rushed out of the room with his trunk in tow. He found Sirius standing in the Dursley's living room laughing, as his relatives all cowered behind the sofa.

Sirius looked over and finally saw Harry.

"Hey pup." he said to Harry with a huge grin. "You all ready to go?"

"Yes." said Harry, indicating toward his trunk. "Let's get out of here."

With that, the two wizards stepped out into the warm evening air. Harry didn't even look back at Number Four, as all his thoughts were on Quidditch, a new home, and Daphne.

He would be seeing her again very soon. He couldn't remember ever being happier in his life.

X x x x x x x x

Note: So there you go. A short one, but I thought I should put something out. I was really put out last Thursday because the doctor's office sent me to the wrong imaging and radiology centre, so they rescheduled it for that afternoon. When I got there though, at about two pm, I was told that the radiologist doesn't stay that late since it was a three to five hour test, they scheduled it for THIS Thursday. So I've missed my follow up appointment with my G.I. doc, because no test was done, so no treatment could be devised. This hasn't been a very good month for me luck wise, and I still have the ever unpleasant x-rays to look forward to in a few days. FML.


	18. Annoying Little Sisters and Headmasters

Note: After listening to George Harrison's "While My Guitar Gently Weeps" (LIVE! Two versions. One from 1972, and one from the mid 80's I think. I know what many of you might be thinking. George Harrison in the 80's? * I got my mind set on you!* I actually still have the 45 single somewhere,those are records for you youngin's out there) I decided to write a new chapter. Oh crap, I'm rambling! On with the show.

Chapter Seventeen - Annoying Little Sisters And Headmasters

"Daphne's got a boyfriend, Daphne's got a boyfriend." Astoria sang in a singsong voice at the dinner table, as her mother's eyes shone with barely contained laughter. Her father looked a bit pale as he stood from his seat and walked into the parlour to pour himself a stiff drink.

Daphne was already irritated from her sister's teasing since she'd said goodbye to Harry at the platform earlier in the week. She was currently clutching her silverware tightly, scraping the plate as she mangled her dinner, pretending it was Astoria she was ripping to shreds.

Her mother knew an explosion was imminent, but did little to curb her youngest. One could see where Astoria Eileen Greengrass got her mischievous streak from. She, like her daughter, was a prankster at heart. The problem is, that she still hadn't learned when to stop, especially where her sister was concerned. She just took such great glee in winding her sister up.

"Daphne and Harry sitting in a tree," she changed tunes, "K.I.S.S.I.N.G!"

Daphne stopped all movement mid-mangle, glaring down at her plate. Her lips were drawn in a thin line, and her face was beginning to turn a darker shade of red.

'Uh oh!' her mother thought with amusement. _'I wonder what colour Tori's hair will become this time.'_

Astoria understood an eruption from Mount Daphne was just moments away, but she couldn't help herself. She'd already gotten a reaction out her father, who was no doubt hitting the VAT 69, but wouldn't stop until she got some sort of reaction from her favourite sister.

She continued with a second verse. "Daphne and Harry sitting in a tree! Doing something that daddy shouldn't see!"

"OH THAT IS IT!" bellowed the now furious blond, as she jumped form her chair so fast it was knocked into the wall several feet behind her.

Daphne looked over to see Astoria had already bolted from her seat, and was out the door, laughing hysterically. The little sprite was fast, but third year Slytherin was as relentless as a rabid bulldog, and was hot on her heels. Arianna soon heard shrieks of laughter and fury as well as various objects crashing and shattering. Their poor house elf could be heard chasing behind the pair, trying to reprimand them while frantically repairing the many broken vases, chairs, and windows.

Arianna chuckled as she returned to her tiramisu. She knew Daphne would never really hurt Astoria. Give her a bruise or two yes, as siblings often do, but never seriously her. This had been a common occurrence in their house since her youngest reached the age of five. She was amazed that Daphne had lasted this long with the constant badgering.

Truth be told, Astoria absolutely adored her big sister, but also delighted in getting a rise out of her. Her youngest daughter wouldn't be flirting with danger if she weren't happy for Daphne. If Astoria didn't approve of Harry, they'd have all known it from the second they met him on the platform, and Daphne knew it, which is why she wasn't actually going to kill her little sister.

Astoria wasn't a completely hopeless case. From the conversations she'd overheard between her mother and sister, she knew that some Granger girl, who was also friends with Harry, probably had designs on the boy as well. She hadn't teased Daphne about it at all. She may love to tease her sister, but she wouldn't be so deliberately cruel. It would hurt Daphne deeply, and that was something Astoria knew never to do just for a laugh.

Arianna was just finishing her dessert when the sporadic crashing, and constant pounding of feet stopped and was replaced with the sounds of bodies rolling around on the floor one floor above her. The muffled feminine screams were still present though.

"Better go make sure Daphne doesn't use accidental magic to plant Tori through the floor." Arianna said with a sigh. "Head first." she added as an afterthought, shaking her head.

As she walked up the stairs to the second floor, she passed their beleaguered house elf as he was mending several broken chairs. Seeing the hallway cabinet laying across the floor, Arianna drew her wand and quickly righted the obstructing piece of furniture, placing it back in its correct spot. It was fortunate that she and her husband began using unbreakable charms on everything that couldn't be replaced.

She followed the sounds of the two girls screams, taking her past the library. It was fortunate Astoria was clever enough to have never let Daphne chase her into that room. The ammunition would be practically limitless.

She found them in the second floor family room, which had large French doors that lead out onto large balcony over looking their garden terrace. Daphne had her now neon green haired little sister in a headlock, and was repeatedly slapping the top of the younger girl's head with what looked like a rolled up issue of the Daily Prophet.

"Okay you two." said Arianna, prying them apart. "Break it up."

As soon as Daphne relinquished her hold on her little sister, Astoria ran out of the room, giggling, neon green hair and all.

"I wasn't going to kill her." mumbled Daphne. "Just maim her a little."

An evil glint lit Arianna's eyes as she looked at her daughter.

"You really mustn't." the older woman said, a grin beginning to make it's way onto her face. "What would your future husband think if he saw you've disfigured your sweet innocent little sister?"

"MUM!" Daphne cried in horror. "You're just as bad as Tori!" she finished and left the room in a huff.

Arianna could only giggle as she dropped herself into one of the sofas in the room.

_'This was going to be so much fun!' _she thought to herself.

X x x x x x x x x

Harry fell to his knees, panting heavily and sweating profusely. Thirty feet away Dumbledore looked worse for wear, flat on his back, with his head spinning and his left arm bent at an awkward angle….. in several places. His robes were scorched and ripped in several places, and he too was breathing heavily. He had not take in easy on Harry during his training.

The past three and a half weeks saw Harry Potter up at the crack of dawn for a casual jog around the property that Sirius' house was on, with a hearty breakfast after, then using the floo to Hogwarts with Daphne usually waiting for him there already, four times a week to train. Eight hours each day. Harry'd lost his lunch the first day.

Daphne wasn't there on this particular day, because she begged off saying she had things to do in preparation for a very important upcoming event at her parent's manor house. She wouldn't tell Harry what it was, simply slipping into her 'ice queen' persona and saying it wasn't any of his business.

He was pretty irritated at her for not telling him, and for acting so coolly toward him when he asked. He took his frustration out on many innocent stones, small boulders, and even a few trees. Very thick trees. Now cleaved either straight up their trunks, or simply blasted at their bases.

He couldn't quite smother the pang of jealousy that crept up in his mind, when he thought of what Luna had told him last year about Daphne nearly being of age to be married off. Was it possible her parent's were holding such an even to introduce her to eligible wizards? The thought made him feel sick, but he fought the feelings valiantly, and nearly succeeded.

They'd gone over several offensive spells, like Reducto, Confrigo, Defodio, and Expulso. He'd picked up the shield charm Protego very quickly. In fact he picked up all these spells up at an alarming rate. As had always been with Harry, it was the intent that he really needed to get right. Intent was key, as was driven home over and over in the Journal of Nicholas Flamel.

It was fortunate he'd spent so much time meditating at the Dursleys. The exercises helped him feel his magic better, and allowed it to flow more easily.

The Protego Maxima had been an impressive sight, as Harry obviously had power to spare. The problem was getting his body used to channeling that much power. While magic allowed for a quick recovery, there was still a period of time where the body would be exhausted.

He'd also been taught the binding spell, and the fire whip curse. His practicing of the Bombarda Maxima, and Reducto had been spectacular. He had obliterated a large boulder the first time he had pushed it as hard as he could. The power behind the spell had actually thrown Harry back several feet. He had passed out before he ever hit the ground.

So there they were, day after day, pushing his body to the limits in an attempt to build it's channeling capacity. Day after day he would return home too sore to do much of anything. Dobby was worried, but also excited that this gave him the chance to dote on Harry much more than usual. Sirius seemed to enjoy making Harry move quickly, or poke him causing him to jerk, which would cause Harry to groan from the ache.

While Dumbledore wasn't sore at the end of each session, he was very weary. It was clear to him that he would not stand a chance against a fully trained Harry Potter. Voldemort had no idea what he was in for. Harry had gotten rather crafty in his duelling tactics.

He had once turned the old man's robes into solid ice. The shock was short lived, but if Harry had the experience that Dumbledore gained over one hundred and twelve years, he'd have been finished. It took his most powerful shields to block Harry's increasingly more powerful spells.

Dumbledore didn't like doing it, but he had goaded Harry into attacking him viciously. It was the reason he was currently flat on his back trying to sit up. Harry had finally overpower the ancient wizard. He hated that he had to do it. He could tell Harry was holding back, and he had to get him to release his power against him.

Dumbledore had alluded to the possibility that if Harry were to die, then perhaps he could offer Ms. Greengrass to Voldemort as a peace offering to with as he wished, and that after all, what was one worthless girl compared to the thousands of lives it would save?

The last thing he remembered until he woke up looking at a spinning sky, and feeling a throbbing pain coming from his left arm. Sitting up he groaned slightly in pain, looking up in time to see his pupil loose his lunch. Pointing hid wand at his shattered left arm, he cast a numbing spell, and the pain subsided temporarily.

Harry looked up and he paled further. He'd finally realized what he'd let his anger at his Professor's words do to him, and he hurt the headmaster badly in the process.

He staggered to his feet and rushed over to the injured wizard.

"Sir!" he said loudly. "I'm sorry! I didn't mean to.. I mean, I just got angry when you said that, I don't know why I got so angry. I so sorry!"

"Harry!" said Dumbledore loudly, interrupting Harry's babbling apology. "It's quite alright my boy. It was my intention to get you to let loose like that."

Dumbledore looked down at his arm, and then back at Harry with a bemused smile. "I dear say it worked perfectly. You are well on your way to reaching your potential. Perhaps it is time to retire for the day. If you can help me up, we can go to the infirmary. Fortunately, I had the foresight to task Madam Pomfrey with restocking the supplies she will need for the upcoming year." he said as he held out his hand.

Harry helped the battered old man to his feet. When Dumbledore staggered a bit, Harry helped support his weight as they slowly made their way to the hospital wing. Instead of using Fawkes, the headmaster felt this would be a good time to help Harry to not feel guilty over this event. The boy was looking down at the ground after all.

Harry was feeling miserable. He'd hurt his mentor, badly. He didn't mean to. It was just that when he said those things about Daphne, he saw red and blasted him with his strongest bludgeoning curse yet.

He just hoped Madam Pomfrey wouldn't be too angry with him for adding to her workload. During the holidays no less.

"Harry I must say I am impressed by your performance thus far." said Dumbledore as they climbed up the grand staircase. "You and Ms. Greengrass are the most talented students I've taught in a very long time. Only your parents ever came close to Filius and Minerva, but the two of you have far exceeded them."

"But I hurt you sir." said Harry in a tone that screamed all of the silent misery he as feeling within him about Daphne giving him the cold shoulder, and nearly destroying Dumbledore's arm. "How can I be brilliant? I'm a bad person for giving in to my anger and hurting you."

"No!" Dumbledore said forcefully, bringing hem to a stop. Suddenly the feeble old wizard was gone, replaced by a man, though battered, radiated power and absolute authority. "You can never be a bad person Harry. You reacted the way I wanted you to react. In defence of those you care most about. There is nothing wrong with that at all." his voice and gaze softened. "I must say, that when you do face Voldemort, or as you and Ms. Greengrass call him, Moldyshorts," he chuckled, "he will be in for quite a nasty surprise if he were to ever attempt to use the same route I did." his eyes were once again twinkling.

"I don't know about Daphne sir." Harry said as they continued their trek to the hospital wing.

"What do you mean Harry?"

"She begged off today," said Harry, "When I asked her what, if anything was wrong, she just said they were preparing for a very important event at her home, but wouldn't tell me what it was. She was kind of cool toward me when I tried to get more information out of her. I think she's mad at me. Or might be trying to distance herself for some reason. Maybe it's something unpleasant she doesn't want me to know." he paused as a cold weight settled in his stomach. "It might be what Luna told me about last year."

"Oh?" asked Dumbledore, genuinely interested in what the intriguing Ms. Lovegood said. ",and what is that?"

"She said that Daphne is nearing the age where she can be betrothed, or even married off." said Harry. "Perhaps it's one of those, coming out events where a daughter is introduced to a bunch of stuffy rich single blokes to see who is willing to pay the highest price. Like some sort of show pony." he finished, disgust evident in his voice.

Dumbledore had to keep himself of laughing out loud. Fortunately his many years dealing with all sorts of people, and his very impressive Occlumency abilities kept his face impassive. He knew that if there were such an event coming up so soon that he would be amongst the first to know. Especially since it involved the well being of one of his students. Arrangements would have to be made for a betrothed, or married couple. He also knew very well exactly what Ms. Greengrass was up too. He had even bought the secret invitations.

"Oh…" he drew out, as he nodded his head in understanding. "Perhaps, if I might give you a bit of advice Harry."

Harry looked up at his mentor, and almost grandfather figure.

With a serious face Dumbledore looked down at his favourite student and said. "Things are not always as they seem Harry. Think on this, but don't think too much. You may drive yourself around the bend, and damage things far worse for you and Ms. Greengrass."

Bringing them to a stop just outside the doors to the hospital wing, Dumbledore looked down at Harry and continued. "You must, above all else, approach this with a cool head, and an open mind Harry. Trust me when I say, it is nothing against you." he smiled at Harry. " One of the things you will find in life, is that women, tend to have many secrets." he paused and thought a moment, "At least from men anyway. They can always seem to gossip quite freely with each other." he finished with a shake of his head.

Harry was left to think things over as they walked into the ward. He was too preoccupied to even pay attention to the lecture Madam Pomfrey was giving him, and the chewing out she was giving the headmaster. He did catch something about idiot men and their wand measuring contests…

X x x x x x x x x x x

A/N: Okay, I've also had a bit of writers block again, and the opening line just came to me, so I typed it out and just let the words flow onto the screen. It practically wrote itself. I was using my experiences with the various little sisters of friends or now ex-girlfriends I've known in my lifetime to write up that part of Astoria's personality. Part of my original goal with Astoria was to create a character that is far too good for the likes of the Ferret, and like her sister, wouldn't take crap from anyone. Except I was drawing a blank on how to portray that effectively, so I went with what I know about little sisters who aren't like mine you know? Cool, and a general joy to be around! :-) Not spoiled.

My medical exam wasn't as bad as it could have been, but it was worse than I had anticipated. I'm still suffering from it's affects. VERY uncomfortable, and I haven't been able to eat much of anything. My digestive system keeps saying, "Ooooh! Oh no thank you." Sometimes the tests seem worse than the condition…..FML!


	19. Birthdays, Summer, Quidditch, Sortings

**Chapter Eighteen.**

**Birthdays, Summer, Quidditch, and Sorting.**

The hallways were dark as Sirius crept his way toward his godson's room. The lad had been brooding these last couple of weeks, and the 'dogfather' knew why. Dumbledore had only met with Harry twice since being over powered. He felt that there was little need for further strength training, that the rest of his power would develop on it's own. Now he just had to practice spells within the protections of the Black Estate's wards.

He'd tried to get Harry out of his funk by assuring him that it wasn't an event he thought it was. Being a pure-blood, he'd have gotten an invite to such a celebration.

He knew very well Daphne had been spending the last few weeks preparing a surprise party for Harry's birthday, but he couldn't very well tell the boy that now could he? He had wanted so badly to mess with his godson's head, by confirming his fears, but he knew it would have been too far. Some things you just don't do for a laugh.

Still, today was Harry's birthday, so Sirius saw it as his duty to mess with the boy. And so here he was, creeping up to Harry's door with a large tub of ice water levitated behind him.

And evil grin slowly spread across his face as he quietly opened the young wizard's bedroom door. Seeing his godson tangled in his sheets, snoring lightly, he manoeuvred the large tub of freezing cold laughs over Harry's sleeping form.

With no small sense of glee, he rotated his wand in a clockwise circular fashion, up ending the tub. The girly shriek was worth any future retribution, as Sirius shouted,

"HAPPY BIRTHDAY!"

"Sirius!" shouted Harry, as he jumped from the bed chasing his godfather "Of all the dick faced…"

He never managed to catch Sirius when he shifted into his animagus form.

The started off with a bang, with Dobby making an spectacular meal for breakfast, and gifting Harry with horribly mismatched socks, but Harry seemed to slowly deflate as the day went on. When he asked his ward why he was feeling glum, Harry'd told him that he hadn't gotten any Happy Birthday wishes from Daphne, or anyone else. Sirius had been the only one.

It pained the ex-con that it never crossed Harry's mind as to what Daphne and his other friends were up to. Harry'd really never celebrated his birthday before. With those git's the Dursleys, he'd celebrated with more chores. Last year he was alone at his relative's home, and the year before, his house elf had blocked his mail.

Sirius quietly seethed with anger, and decided he was going to pay the Dursleys another visit while Harry was at school.

Sirius hoped Harry would make it to seven o'clock with out loosing it. He just had to make it until then, and he'd finally see that his friend's really did love him. Especially a certain blond haired blue eyed Slytherin.

Perhaps it was time to approach Samuel Greengrass about a possible betrothal between the two. He'd make the initial contact, but would wait on any serious negotiations until his godson god his head out of his arse and finally made a move on the girl. Sirius knew all too well that soon there would be scores of 'less desirable' types asking for her hand.

With a betrothal, she would be protected by the houses of Potter and Black. Any assault on her, especially one that would rob her of her virginity, could be met with a duel to the death, by the old laws. It was something Sirius would be more than willing to do in his godson's stead as his current guardian. Though he was quite sure that anyone who would dare lay a finger on her, would be left as little more than a bloody smudge on the ground once Harry was done with them.

The power the boy wielded was frightening at times.

X x x x x x x x

Harry was sulking in the drawing room, waiting for Sirius to finish getting ready. He'd been told by his guardian that he was being taken to a place with women, food, and drink for his birthday.

Harry thought the way Sirius had made it sound, that they were going to some sort of muggle or magical strip club. Not that Harry would have really minded one bit under normal circumstances, but he'd really wanted to spend his birthday with Daphne.

Walking into the drawing room, Sirius found his godson looking miserable. Smirking to himself he said, "Alright Lieutenant Sulkypants, On your feet. You're in for quite a night. let's go!' he ordered.

Climbing reluctantly to his feet Harry followed Sirius out the door and to the edge of the wards. Sirius turned to Harry and handed him a blind fold, which Harry looked upon with great suspicion.

"What?" asked Sirius.

Harry simply glared at the Marauder.

"How little you think of me," Sirius said with mock hurt, "I've already birthday pranked you. I promise on my honour, that I just want it to be a surprise, and am not pranking you."

Reluctantly, Harry took the blindfold from Sirius' hand and put it on, weary of what his trouble making guardian was up to.

He felt Sirius take hold of his arm, and he suddenly felt like he was being squeezed through a rubber tube. For an instant he felt panic, as he was unable to breathe, but then suddenly, the feeling was gone.

"Sorry," said Sirius, not sounding at all remorseful. "I guess I forgot to warn you we were going to apparate."

Harry felt himself being lead up some steps and through a door. As he heard the door close behind him he was startled by a very large shout of "SURPRISE!"

He nearly reached for his wand before he pulled off the blindfold. Looking around he saw all of his friend with smiles on their faces. In attendance were; Hermione, Neville, Luna, the Twins (singing for he's a jolly good fellow horribly), Mr. and Mrs. Weasley, Professors McGonagall, Dumbledore, Flitwick, Sprout, Madam Pomfrey, Moody, Remus, Ginny, Seamus, Dean, Colin Creevy, and Hagrid were there. But right in front was the person he'd hoped to see most. Daphne. Behind her stood her beaming mother, smirking sister, and her father, who seemed to have a smile that was a bit forced.

She rushed up to him and pulled him into a tight embrace.

"Happy Birthday." she whispered. "I'm sorry for being the ice queen lately, but I couldn't let you guess as to what we were planning."

Harry was blushing "Well, this is much better than what I had going through my head." he said looking down bashfully.

"What did you think we were up to?" said Daphne.

He hesitated.

"Well I thought you were trying to distance yourself from me because you were.. You know… having one of those coming out parties where you meet prospective suitors."

She blinked and was about to respond when the twins rushed up and enthusiastically congratulated Harry on his birthday. This set everyone else to approach Harry offering their birthday wishes as well. Mrs. Weasley seemed to try her best as crushing Harry to death with her hug while Hagrid's pat on the back brought Harry to his knees, much to the enjoyment of the twins and Sirius.

Soon they were all outside under fairy lights and torches in the warm evening air enjoying a magnificent dinner to casual, and even at times, rambunctious conversation. Sirius, Remus and the twins regaled the party with tales of their pranking exploits, much to the annoyance of Mrs. Weasley, and Professor McGonagall.

Harry then blew out the candles on a very large chocolate cake baked by Daphne herself. She was quite nervous that Harry wouldn't like it. Her fear was for naught as Harry ended up stuffing his face. He then moved on to the mountain of gifts that were stacked near by. Never before had he ever received so much from so many. It was all he could do not to lose it right there.

The professors had gifted him with several rare books on obscure magics. Dumbledore even gave him a feather that Fawkes had gifted for Harry. The twins gifted him with a large assortment of their products. McGonagall outwardly groaned when she saw what he had been given. Mrs. Weasley glared at her boys, but said nothing. Mr and Mrs. Weasley had bought him a pair of very smart looking dragon hide seeker's gloves, and Ginny had made him a small dragon tooth pendant on a leather strap.

Daphne and her parents had gotten him a green Lorica Segmentata like the Romans once wore, only it was made out of dragon hide instead of iron or leather. Sirius and Remus had gotten him green dragon hide riding boots and a bronze Galea.

Daphne had remained by Harry's side the entire night, to the delight of her little sister. At one point as Harry spoke with Daphne and her parents, Astoria stood behind Harry facing Daphne, and pretended to swoon, making kissing faces with her eyes closed. Daphne did her best not to glare, but Harry felt something amiss. He turned only to catch Astoria, eyes closed in mid pucker.

She opened her eyes, and they went wide, lips still puckered, as she began to turn bright red at being caught. With out saying a thing, she simply bolted.

It was too much for Arianna, and she hastily excused herself, barely containing very unladylike snorts of laughter. The twins and Sirius didn't even bother. All three fell to the ground laughing as most of the rest chuckled along with them. Daphne was mortified, but stood her ground.

The rest of the night past in a blur of food, pranks, music, pickup games of Quidditch and fireworks, courtesy of Fred and George, at the request of one Miss Greengrass. They were more than happy to oblige. They wanted to refuse payment, but she threatened them with castration, so they grudgingly accepted the fifty galleons for services rendered. Daphne was never one to pull any punches, and always went right for the throat.

As the party ended and all guests made their way home Sirius had walked a ways outside the Greengrass' property line to give Harry and Daphne some privacy for their goodbyes.

"So you thought I was trying to push you away because I was to meet my possible future husband? Daphne asked.

"Well," Harry began, once again looking down at the ground in embarrassment. "I'd figured you were nearing that age, and well, I never expected a surprise birthday party, seeing as I'd never had one before tonight."

Daphne's heart broke a little more every time she heard, or even thought about how his life had been before Hogwarts. She pulled him into an embrace. "You've got a lot of people who care for you Harry. You should get used to this because its what people do for the ones they love and care about."

"Thank you Daphne." said Harry.

When she released her embrace, she stood up on her toes and gave him a kiss on the cheek. "Good night Harry. Happy Birthday."

With that, she turned and walked back toward her parent's manor. Harry stood, with his hand on the spot she kissed, dazed. It felt tingly to him, as he turned and grinned rather stupidly. When he reached Sirius, he failed to notice the wide grin on the Maurauder's face, as he too his godson's arm, and apparated them back to the Black estate.

X x x x x x x x x

"Harry! Daphne! Neville!" said Mrs. Weasley as she opened the front door to let them in before engulfing the trio in a bone crushing hug. Molly Weasley had been wary of Harry's friendship with Daphne at first, but when they'd gotten an invitation from her for Harry's surprise birthday party, she immediately began seeing Daphne in a more positive light.

While she would have wanted her Ginny to be with Harry, she was no fool and could see that there was something special between the two when she saw them side by side the entire night. But Harry the poor boy seemed somewhat oblivious to it, and even if he realized what they had, she thought his up bringing would probably cause him to not take the chance anytime soon.

"Daphne, you'll be with Hermione and Ginny." said Molly, "Harry, you'll bunk in the twin's room with Neville." at Harry's alarmed look she added, "They'll be in Ron's room."

It was jut before dinner, the day before the Quidditch World Cup when the pair had arrived. Sirius was going to meet the group in the morning, as he still had a few preparations to take care of. Since his release, he'd been taken his old position in the Reserve Auror Corps, and while not working during the actual event, he was part of the team that would do final preps the day before. It also gave him a chance to chat up Amelia Bones, who was only about three years older than him.

Astoria and her parents would be meeting them at the campsite in the morning. They'd all managed to get plots right next to each other.

After stowing away their trunks, the trio walked back down to the kitchen to help Mrs. Weasley with dinner preps. It was as they both began to walk toward the kitchen door, hands full with large bowls of steaming hot food, with Neville carrying a large jug of pumpkin juice, that Ron made an appearance.

"What is that snake doing here?" said Ron as he caught sight of Daphne. "She's gong to kill us all in our sleep. You can't trust Slytherins."

Harry's blood began to boil when he turned and saw the hurt look on Daphne's face. He was about to shout Ron down, but Mrs. Weasley beat him to it.

"RONALD BILIUS WEASLEY!" she shouted. "How dare you insult a guest! Daphne happens to be a very lovely girl, and you have no right to speak to her that way! This is exactly why we didn't allow you to attend Harry's Birthday party!"

Harry looked over at Daphne with a shocked look on his face. She looked over at him with a sheepish expression.

"She was nice enough to invite you so that you might try to patch things up and at least be civil with Harry! I can see now that your father and I made the right choice by not letting you go!" continued Hurricane Molly.

Hermione and Ginny who had heard the entire thing, walked into the kitchen at that moment. Both looking at Ron with disappointed looks on their faces. Well, Hermione had a disappointed/disgusted look, Ginny, already reaching for her wand, was glaring a hole through Ron's head that promised pain in the near future.

"After what you said to Hermione, you now have the nerve to insult the girl who has done nothing but try to be nice to you! I have half a mind to not let you go to the match tomorrow!"

Ron paled at this. The prospect of missing the match seemed to get through to the idiot redhead. Bill, Charlie, the twins and Mr. Weasley had walked in halfway through Molly's triad.

"I will not make you apologise because I know you won't mean one bit of it, but you will go straight to your room after dinner." Molly commanded. "You will also stay away from Harry and Daphne. They are far better friends than you deserve Bilius."

Her voice softened as she turned to Daphne. "I'm so sorry for my son's behavior Lady Greengrass. On behalf of the House of Weasley, please except our most sincere apologies. You are a special guest in our home, and I am a shamed that a member of my family has shown you such disrespect." she finished with a curtsy, as Mr. Weasley bowed to the Greengrass heiress.

Neville and the rest of the Weasley's, except for Mr. Weasley who gave his youngest son a very disappointed look, eyes bulged at hearing Molly's formal apology. The three eldest son's, and the twins then glared at Ron, before all giving Daphne a half bow of respect. Ron just stood there red faced and shamed.

Daphne was shocked for a moment, before gathering herself. "I accept your apology Mrs. Weasley. Please know that I have the utmost respect for your family. You have always treated Harry with love, and kindness, and to me that makes you the best among people and a great family. I thank you for your kindness."

From the Weasley's expressions, Harry caught that the formal apology was a very big deal among Pure-Blood society. Ron had really stepped in it this time.

Daphne held the bowl against herself, as she took Harry's hand and lead him out to the back garden to help set the table. Harry notice the twins descend on Ron as the kitchen screen door closed behind him.

Later as the family, and guests gathered around the table for the enormous meal, Harry noted that Ron seemed to be having a difficult time sitting down. He had sat down quite gingerly, while the twins seemed rather smug. Mr. Weasley seemed secretly proud of his twin boys. Ginny, and Mrs. Weasley would glare at him from time to time. Ron also seemed to have a bit of slime in his hair, that looked suspiciously like bogeys.

Bill and Charlie grilled Harry about his achievements and the capture or Pettigrew the previous school year. They were impressed that Harry was already able to conjure a full Patronus. They smiled when he told them it was a stag, the form his father took as an animagus, but outright grinned when they learned that Daphne's Patronus was a doe. Mrs. Weasley smiled warmly in their direction as it was confirmation of her thoughts on the two.

Hermione had seriously began to rethink her chances at Harry's birthday party. She may fancy Harry, I mean with all they'd been through how could she not? But, she knew that she stood no chance against Daphne. She felt no small measure of jealously toward the pretty Slytherin, but would never be hostile toward her.

She looked over at Neville and considered perhaps she should try to build something with him. He was such a shy boy, and she did like him after all. He was so unlike Ron, which was a plus in her book.

With a sigh, she realized she was going to have to start herself on the long road to recovery from Harry Addiction. She had briefly thought that she might fancy Ron, but his hurtful, and scandalous accusation last year had shattered any illusion she may have had. Today's events have reinforced that. There was no way in hell she'd ever date Ronald Weasley the King of Prats.

X x x x x x x x

**Quidditch World Cup Camp Grounds.**

Harry stood just inside the magically expanded tent in wonder. He would be bunking in here with the boys, as the girls, Astoria included, got their own tent right nest to theirs.

"Harry?" said Mr. Weasley. "Would you and Neville mind taking the girls and the twins with you to get firewood and water while we finish here?"

"Sure Mr. Weasley." Harry replied with a smile.

Quickly tossing his bag on his cot, he stepped back out and went straight to the girl's tent. Entering it, he saw that Astoria and Ginny seemed to be getting along famously, while Hermione and Daphne were giggling about something.

"L….adies" he greeted in a deliberately bad attempt to be suave. When they turned to look at him he continued. "Come on. Mr. Weasley asked that we go collect firewood and water."

The group were soon weaving their way through the camp ground, taking in all the ridiculous attempts at the Wizarding world trying to appear muggle. There was even an old wizard in a sundress, and other in what appeared to be a woman's night gown.

The twins were walking ahead with Astoria and Ginny. Astoria seemed to be having the time of her life, as the duo had her and Ginny in an almost constant fits of giggles. Harry, Daphne, Neville and Hermione trailed closely behind, talking about the upcoming year. Percy had been rather coy about something that was happening at Hogwarts this year.

After the group had collected the wood, and water: Astoria, Ginny, Harry, and Hermione each had two large buckets of water, while the rest had all the firewood they could carry.

Halfway back to their campsite, Harry was approached by a pretty Asian Ravenclaw he recognized as Cho Chang.

"Hi Harry!' she said brightly as she neared him.

"Oh, hi Cho." Harry stammered in reply. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Daphne look down, and continue walking away. Hermione seemed to pause, unsure what to do. She didn't, however, let Daphne get too far as she stopped the Slytherin girl just out of ear shot. Neville stayed by Harry's side, subtly narrowing his eyes at the Ravenclaw.

"Looking forward to the new year?" said Cho, batting her eyes at Harry while lightly touching his upper arm, completely ignoring the watchful Gryffindor boy next to Harry. It was all Harry could do not to cringe at her touch.

"Uh, yeah." he said, unsure of how to handle this.

"Maybe you and I can go to Hogsmeade together sometime during the school year?" she asked shyly.

Harry was floored. She was actually asking him out! 'I-I don't know Cho. I'll have to think on it. Maybe. As friends right?"

"Sure." she said, looking less sure of herself. "as friends."

"Sorry Cho. I've got to go. I have to get this water back to out tents." he said lifting the two buckets slightly.

"Okay Harry. I'll see you around." she said giving his arm one last squeeze and a smile.

"See you." he replied before turning to catch up with the girls.

Seeing Harry's obvious discomfort Hermione asked "What happened?" as they continued their trek back to the tents.

"Cho asked me on a Hogsmeade weekend." he said, suddenly feeling sick to his stomach.

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Daphne's face go blank.

"What did you say?" Hermione asked.

"I said if we do meet up in Hogsmeade, it would be only as friends." said Harry. "I have no interest in Cho, and I'm not going to lead her on."

"That's good Harry" said Hermione. "Wouldn't want her to expect anything more from you. She seems to me, the type who would be vindictive if they thought there was something more that wasn't there. Be careful of her."

Daphne whom hadn't said anything, suddenly began walking ahead of the three Gryffindors. Harry didn't see much of her until they began their walk to the stadium. By then she seemed to be back to normal. Hermione said she talked to her, but wouldn't go into any details, telling his it was between girls.

Harry had a talk with Sirius , and his godfather told him that he just had to give her some time to work through whatever was bothering her.

The match had been spectacular with Krum catching the snitch, but Ireland still winning by over one hundred points. Their chasers were simply incredible.

With everyone in the tent celebrating Ireland's win, the party went well into the early morning. Suddenly the commotion outside turned into loud bangs and screams of terror.

"Stay here, all of you!" Sirius commanded as he, Lord Greengrass and Mr. Weasley left the tent to investigate. Everyone else exchanged worried looks.

Samuel Greengrass burst into the tent minutes later.

"Everyone, we have to get out of here!" he said in a loud commanding voice. 'Make for the forest and stick together."

"Sammy!' said Arianna, alarmed by the command. "What's going on?"

"Deatheaters." he replied in a grim voice.

X x x x x x x x

"Which of you conjured it?" shouted a man in a pin stripped suit, and what Harry thought to be a moustache reminiscent of the mass murdering fuckhead Adolf Hitler. He Daphne, Neville and Hermione were getting back onto their feet after he had shoved them to the ground moments before no less than a dozen stunners flew over head.

Neville had gone back for Harry when he'd been separated, and had spent several minutes trying to drag the unconscious Harry to safety. He gave up, and instead stayed by his side, wand at the ready to protect his friend. He paled when he saw the man conjure the dark mark right as Harry came to, and the man began to march toward him, but he stood his ground, never knowing that he had come face to face with one of those responsible for torturing his parents to insanity.

"Crouch! You cannot possibly think.." said Samuel Greengrass.

"Do not lie!" continued Crouch. "You've been discovered at the scene of the crime!"

"For Merlin's sake they're just kids!" shouted Lord Greengrass.

"Crime?" Harry asked. "What crime?"

"The dark mark Harry." Daphne whispered. "It's _his_ mark."

"Deatheaters." said Samuel.

Looking around Crouch ordered the Ministry Aurors to follow.

"Wait!" said Neville. "There was a man! Over there! He conjured the mark." he finished, pointing in the direction where he had last seen the mysterious man, who did conjure the mark.

"This way!" said Hitler.. Erm.. I mean Crouch, leading the Aurors away. _'Ack! Why did I ever leave mine bunker!" *_

Mrs. Weasley had been beside herself when the group had returned to the Burrow in the morning. Sirius and Mr. Weasley, as well as Lord Greengrass had been summoned to the Ministry that day, and left as soon as they made sure the children were safe at the Burrow. Samuel Greengrass and Sirius had seats on the Wizengamot, (Sirius had reclaimed his place soon after he had been cleared) while Mr. Weasley was called in to help the Aurors in the investigation.

Astoria stayed with the Weasleys for the rest of the week until it was time for the mad dash to the Hogwarts Express as both of her parents were going to be busy at work. Neville had gone home with his gran, the morning they'd gotten back. Mrs. Weasley doted on them all until it was time to leave almost excessively.

X x x x x x x

The ride was uneventful as the group, minus the twins, who had buggered off to meet with Lee, but including Neville and Luna chatted away and played various games to pass the time.

Malfoy had ended up punched in the face by Neville after the blond ponce had given Harry a not so veiled threat about this being his last year alive.

So they sat in the great hall, at their house tables as the new first years were being sorted. Harry, Daphne and Ginny eagerly awaited Astoria's sorting.

"Garbner, Eloise." called Professor McGonagall. She placed the sorting hat on the young girl's head. Moments later it cried out "HUFFLEPUFF!" The young girl hoped of the stool and made her way to her new table.

"Greengrass, Astoria" called out the transfiguration Mistress.

Astoria made her way up and sat on the stool. McGonagall place the hat on her head. You could not see the young girl's eyes, as they were covered by the large hat, but one could see that she began to smile brightly. Only moments later the hat actually laughed out loud before it shouted…

"GRYFFINDOR!"

She took off the hat, and placed on the stool before happily making her way to her new house table. Harry, Ginny, Neville, and the twins cheered the loudest. Harry looked over at Daphne and saw a relieved smile on her face. He knew she had been worried about protecting her little sister, but didn't have to worry about it as much now that she was in Gryffindor with an entire house who would stand up for her.

Neither noticed Malfoy scowling as he looked at the youngest Greengrass daughter with an almost hungry look in his eyes.

X x x x x x x x x

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Note: I threw in a reference to the Goblet of Fire Rifftrax. If you haven't checked it out, you MUST! It's hilarious! Cedric is still Sparkly and Gay.

SPOILERS! Do not read if you don't want to know! It's just a fair warning so that people don't blast me about the Astoria/Draco thing. You have been warned.

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In case you hadn't noticed before, Malfoy is going to be just as sick as his father. I have no sympathy, or like for Malfoy what so ever. I am going to destroy him in this. Daphne's wrath will be his end, and it isn't going to be pretty. Don't worry, I'm not going to kill Astoria off, nor will there be any successful attempts on her "innocence".

Malfoy is a sick fuck, and will be the kind of person to get his sadist jollies before he tries to violate her. I.E. Crucio, and various slashing curses. Again he will NOT be successful. This world is full of sick fucks, and more often then not, they are prejudiced just like the Malfoys. A lot of Deatheaters are gong to meet very unpleasant ends at the hands of Daphne and Harry.

They are murderers, and rapists, and their children are no better, they are simply in training. They are taught to take what they want, when they want, and that they are entitled to it because of their blood status. It was no different in WWII or any other racial or blood purity conflict.

There is a reason I rated this Mature. It was not only for language and mild sexual content between Harry and Daphne. Those who don't want to read anymore, are free to go. I warned you back in chapter ten that "In Noctem" would set the tone for the rest of the story.

Daphne will leave little if anything left. But that won't be for a long time yet. Just fair warning. It's the only way I can have Daphne justified in killing the little fuck with out killing Astoria, which I do NOT want to do. Astoria may also one day be responsible for ending Lucius Malfoy's life as well. She is a Gryffindor now after all, and will not back down from a fight.

X x x x x x x

On another note, I have a series of dehumanizing tests waiting for me. Good news is that I've been put on a medication until then. Takes a while to build up in the system before it works. Maybe some of you know it, it's called Pentasa. X-rays showed that I am indeed in the middle of a relapse. Hooray… Damn it…..


	20. Beauxbatons, Durmstrang, and Goblets

**Chapter Nineteen.**

**Beauxbatons, Durmstrang, and Goblets**

Harry, Daphne, Hermione and Neville sat in the front two tables next to each other eagerly awaiting their first Defence Against the Dark Arts Class with their new Professor, Ex-Auror Alastor 'Mad-Eye' Moody.

They soon heard Moody's wooden leg echoing off the corridor walls outside their class room. The entire room seemed to tense at once as they all fell silent.

Stomping into the room Moody said 'Put those away" to which students looked at each other confused. "Your books. You won't be needing them" he elaborated as he stopped in front of the class.

"I'm Alastor Moody." he said, magical eyes swivelling around constantly. "Ex- Auror, Ministry malcontent, and your new Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher."

The students exchanged worried, yet excited glances.

"I'm here because Dumbledore asked me. The end!" said Moody, both eyes surveying the class. "Now, when it comes to the dark arts, I believe in a practical approach. Now… which one of you can tell me how many unforgivable curses there are?"

Hermione, as usual, was the first to raise her hand.

"You. Miss..?"

"Granger sir." said Hermione, "There are three unforgivables."

"Correct." said Moody. "The use of any one of them will earn you a one way ticket to Azkaban."

"Now, the Ministry says you're too young to see what these curses can do. I SAY DIFFERENT!" said the disfigured professor. "You need to know what you're up against. You need to be prepared. You need to practice CONSTANT VIGILENCE!" he finished with a shout, startling the class.

He quickly walked through the middle of the room. "Now, which one shall we see first?"

Looking down with his magical eye he shouted "Weasley!"

"Yes?" said the redhead in a scared voice.

"Give us a curse."

"Well, my dad did tell me about one…" he said meekly "The Imperious Curse."

"Oh yes, your dad would know about that one." said Moody, nodding his head. "Gave the Ministry quite a bit of grief a few years back. Lets just show you why." he finished walking back up to the front of the room.

"Everyone stand up!" said Moody. "I'm going to cast the Imperious curse on each of you. So you can know it's effects. Perhaps you can try to fight it off."

With a flick of his wand, the desks moved to the side of the room, and he ordered the class to stand near the back of the room.

"Granger!" Moody called out. 'You first."

Professor Moody cursed Hermione and made her pretend to be a chipmunk, much to her embarrassment. The Defence Professor seemed to take great glee in making Malfoy sing "I'm a Little Tea Pot" complete with dance, five times, proclaim his homosexuality, and secret love for Harry Potter, before he canceled the spell.

"Potter!" said Moody. 'You next."

With dread, Harry walked up to the front of the class. "Imperio!" he heard Mad-Eye cast.

A vague calming feeling came over him, and a voice told him to jump up on the desk. _'Why am I going to do that?' _he asked himself. _'That's rather stupid.'_

"No, I don't think I will sir." he said blankly.

Moody's mouth dropped open for a moment, before he broke out into a hideous grin.

"Ha! You see that! Potter damn well beat it without even trying!" cried Moody. 'They'll have an impossible job controlling you Potter! Ten points to Gryffindor!"

Daphne had much the same results, earning Slytherin another ten points.

The class then moved onto the Cruciatus curse, using it on enlarged spiders, which greatly disturbed Neville.

"Who can give me the last curse?" he asked placing the trembling spider on Hermione's text books "How about you Miss Granger?" to which she shook her head, tears in her eyes from seeing the poor eight legged creature tortured.

"No?" Moody said. He pointed his wand at the spider and cried. "Avada Kedavera!" and in an instant of sickly green light, the spider's life was extinguished.

Harry thought he was going to be sick, seeing the sickly green light that haunted his dreams first hand. He was nearly overcome with emotion, when he felt Daphne take his hand under the desk.

"The killing curse." Moody explained. "There is no blocking it, it's not pretty, and only one person is known to have survived it." he said looking directly a Harry, "and he's sitting in this room, right in front of me."

X x x x x x x

Term seemed to drag by with out Quidditch, but also passed pretty quickly in anticipation of the Tri-Wizard Tournament. Hermione's birthday was celebrated with little fanfare. Just the four friends, plus Ginny, Astoria, and the twins in an unused classroom with cake, provided by Dobby, and gifts from the others.

One notable event was Professor Moody changing Malfoy into a ferret when the little tosspot tried to curse Harry and Daphne from behind. It was poetic, seeing as Harry'd been saying for years, the little idiot looked like a ferret.

The day before the arrival of their guests found our Seven favourite students, Harry, Daphne, Neville, Hermione, Ginny, Astoria, and Luna walking around the black lake after their last class let out for the day.

Harry and Daphne were out in front, with Astoria, Ginny, and Luna next, with Hermione and Neville bringing up the rear. Harry and Daphne were a good twenty to thirty feet ahead of the others who seemed understand they the two needed their time together.

Astoria and Ginny were giggling away, as Luna looked upon the two with a dreamy, almost wistful smile. Ginny along with the twins had taken Astoria under their wings as a sort of mischief apprentice. Daphne groaned when she was told.

Harry spoke to Daphne in quiet tones, "I feel something off about Professor Moody." he confided in her. 'Something doesn't feel quite right."

"I know," said Daphne. "I've felt the same thing."

"It could just be that he's spent so much of his life around the dark arts that it gives off a bad vibe?" Harry speculated. "I mean Dumbledore doesn't seem to notice anything wrong."

"I suppose." Daphne replied. "So!" she began, her attitude suddenly bubbly, doing a sort of half twist toward Harry as they walked, her hands clasped together in front of her and a girlish smile on her face. "I wonder what the students from the two other schools will be like."

Daphne enjoyed her time with Harry and her friends the most. She didn't have to be the cold aloof personality she presents. She could be herself. A warm loving compassionate person, with a zest for life. A person who can actually be as feminine as she wants to be, and no one looks down upon her.

"I don't know." Harry replied after a moment of thought. "Other than Surrey, I've never been outside of the magical world."

He thought for a moment. "I'd like to see the continent. Try different foods from the many nations, especially the Mediterranean countries."

"We'll go one day." Daphne said with a smile. "Just you and me!"

Harry smiled at her. "I'd like that."

Astoria, and Ginny leaned against each other and sighed in an actual swooning kind of way at the sight of the two. Luna just hummed happily to herself. Hermione and Neville shared a smile.

With the arrival of the delegations from Beauxbatons the next day, most of the boys in the great hall seemed to be enamoured by a very pretty blond haired girl. Ron even proclaimed she was Veela while literally drooling on the table.

Harry didn't see what the big deal was. Sure she was pretty, but not all _that_ great. Some one much more beautiful came to mind, and he glanced over at Daphne, who was looking at him carefully.

He smiled and rolled his eyes as he indicated the reactions of most of the male population. After a moment, she smiled in return.

Looking up at the staff table, Harry noticed someone he hadn't seen before. Barty Crouch, the head of the Department of something or other.

He turned to Neville and with a laugh said "Doesn't he look like that Muggle Adolf Hitler?"

Dean, Seamus, Colin and Dennis, whom were all in earshot, laughed.

Dumbledore walked up to the tall wooden box at the front of the hall and called for everyone's attention.

"I'd like to say a few words," Dumbledore began. "Eternal glory. That is what awaits the student who wins the Triwizard Tournament. But to do this, each student must survive three tasks. Three extremely dangerous tasks!"

"Wicked" said the Weasley twins.

"For this reason, the Ministry has seen fit, to impose a new rule." Dumbledore continued. "To explain all this we have the head of the Department of International Magical Cooperation. Mr. Bartimus Crouch."

The man with the odd moustache and pin stripe robes stood in front of the large wooden box preparing to address the hall.

_"Hello, Heil Hitler, everyone."_ Harry said in a low exaggerated German voice. Those witches and wizards who knew of world history outside of the magical realm laughed at Harry's cheek, earning a glare from their head of house. Hermione looked scandalized, and Daphne had nearly spit her pumpkin juice out.

No one at the staff table could actually tell who said it, thought Moody did snort.

Crouch waited for things to quiet down before beginning. 'After due consideration, the Ministry of Magic had concluded that for their own safety, no students under the age of seventeen maybe allowed to compete."

That was met with loud jeers and boos from all around the hall.

"Silence!" shouted Dumbledore, quickly restoring order.

The headmaster then drew his wand and tapped the wooden box. The panels seemed to peel away and revealed a large stone…. well….. goblet. Suddenly a large blue ball of fire erupted from the goblet before turning into a steady flame.

"The Goblet of Fire." said Dumbledore. "Anyone wishing to submit their name must do so before five o'clock tomorrow afternoon. Simply write your name on a piece of parchment, and throw it in the flame. Do not do so lightly! If chosen, there is no turning back. As from this moment, the Triwizard Tournament had begun."

X x x x x x x x

The next evening at dinner, the seven friends sat in the great hall at Gryffindor table waiting with everyone else for the Champion selection. They had been discussing Ron and the twin's unsuccessful attempts to enter their names, having only long white hair and beards to show for it.

Harry looked at Daphne sitting next to him. He could see something had been bothering her all day.

"What's wrong?" he asked her.

"I don't know." said Daphne. 'I just feel like something bad is going to happen. It is Halloween after all."

Harry gulped…

Dumbledore walked to the middle of the hall where the goblet stood.

"Sit down please!" he called out. 'Now the moment you've all been waiting for! The champion selection!" he dramatically turned and dimmed the lamps and torches in the great hall leaving the Goblet of Fire as the main source of light.

Dumbledore approached the goblet and placed his hands on one side. The flames intensified, and turned crimson, spitting out a piece of parchment before returning to it's previous blue.

Dumbledore deftly snatched it from the air and read it. "The Durmstrang champion is VICTOR KRUM!"

Cheers rose up mainly from the area the Durmstrang students were concentrated. "Krum! Krum! Krum!" was shouted over and over.

Krum rose from his seat and was lead through a side door to the antechamber off the side of the hall.

The flame in the goblet once a turned crimson before spitting out a second piece of parchment. Again Dumbledore caught it in midair and read it aloud for all to hear.

"The Beauxbaton's champion is Fleur Delacour!" This was met with more sobs from the other entries from Beauxbatons students than cheers.

This was it! Every Hogwarts student waited with baited breath for their champion.

The goblet once again burned with crimson flames as it spit the final piece of parchment out. Dumbledore read it with a relieved smile. "The Hogwarts champion is CEDRIC DIGGORY!" Three of the four house tables cheered loudly for Diggory.

Harry turned to Neville and said. "Looks like Krum's got a difficult road ahead. One of his opponents is meek, dainty and feminine… the other is a French chick!" He and Neville fell over laughing. Hermione rolled her eyes.

"Excellent!" exclaimed Dumbledore. It seemed to him that the measures he had taken to ensure Harry's name was not entered into the goblet had worked. 'We now have our three champions!"

Crouch placed a covered object on the table at the front of the hall.

"But in the end, only one will go down in history." Dumbledore continued. "Only one will hoist this chalice of champions! This vessel of victory! The Triwizard Cup!" he finished with one last dramatic turn using wandless magic to uncover the large crystal and silver trophy.

The Goblet of Fire then began belching more crimson flames more violently than it had before. Dumbledore approached the cup, a cold weight falling into his stomach. _'Oh please no!' _he thought as he drew near.

A piece of parchment exploded from the goblet. With great dread, Dumbledore caught the paper, and read it. His legs nearly giving out from under him..

"Harry Potter…"


	21. A Longbottom by Your Side

Chapter Twenty

**A Longbottom by Your Side.**

Harry felt as though he had just been punched in the gut. A cold weight settled in his stomach and seemed to radiate throughout his body. The girls in his group gasped. Daphne seemed to be on the verge of tears, and Neville looked like he was going to be sick.

"Harry Potter!" shouted the headmaster.

"Go on Harry!" Hermione said in a fierce whisper while giving a small pull to urge him out of his seat and toward Dumbledore.

He left his seat reluctantly, and slowly made his way to the headmaster. Harry as pale and almost shaking, a range of emotions racing through his mind. Racing in a kind way of putting it, if one can say a fully loaded mile long American freight train can race as fast as the French TGV.

Neville sat there, pale and shaking as well. He was looking down at the table, and seemed to be thinking about something very hard. His face then turned to one of determination, and he suddenly stood up, and quickly caught up with Harry, who had just made it to the front of the hall where the professors were standing in shock, falling in step by his side.

Harry looked over at Neville with a questioning, but Neville didn't say anything, he just gave Harry a grim look, and a nod of his head. Harry found himself oddly comforted by his friend's actions.

"Mr. Longbottom." Said Professor McGonagall, "You must return to your seat. You are not a champion, and only Mr. Potter may.."

"Professor," Neville cut her off. "Harry has clearly been entered in this tournament against his will. A-As future head of the House of Longbottom, I-I am giving Harry Potter my allegiance. I'm s-sorry Professor. As my ally and friend, I refuse to leave Harry's side. Where he goes, a Longbottom goes. I will not let him go in there friendless."

Neville was clearly scared, but was determined to not leave Harry alone in this. McGonagall was trying to be stern, but she was clearly upset at Harry's name being drawn from the Goblet. There was also a great sense of pride in her eyes as she looked at the Longbottom heir. She simply nodded her head and allowed the pair through.

When the pair entered the antechamber, which appeared to be another trophy room. Standing in front of the fire were the three champions. Cedric was standing with his hands behind his back, staring into the fire, lost in thought. Krum was motionless, looking surly as ever. Flue Delacour broke the silence though. She took one look at the two Gryffindors, threw her silvery hair over her shoulder and said, "What eez thees? Do zey want us back in zee 'all?"

Harry and Neville stood there, not knowing how to explain the cock up he know found himself in. Turns out he didn't have to, as he heard several very angry voices approaching the room.

He saw several of his professors, as well as the headmasters of the three school enter the room.

"I demand we each be allowed two champions!" said Karkaroff "otherwise we are withdrawing from the tournament!"

"Empty threats Karkaroff!" Moody growled. "You know you cannot withdraw Krum without serious consequences. You're stuck. If anyone should be angry about this it's Potter."

"Harry" said Dumbledore. "Did you put your name in the goblet?"

"No sir!" Harry answered without hesitation.

"Did you ask one of the older students to do it for you?"

"No sir." he answered again.

"But of course 'h is lying!" shouted Madam Maxime.

"The hell I am!" cried Harry. "I take great offence at being called a liar!" to which the tall woman scoffed.

'_Fucking French' _Harry thought viciously.

Drawing his wand he held it in front of him before saying, "I Harry James Potter swear on my magic that I did not willingly enter my name into the Goblet of Fire, nor did I have anyone else do it for me!"

The glow that emanated from his wand was nearly blinding, but it confirmed his innocence. Harry put his wand away and scowled at the very large French bint.

Cedric's eyes bulged at the thought that Harry had been entered against his will. Fleur merely sniffed and turned her nose up at him, "But 'e is just a leetle boy!"

"I'll show you little," Harry mumbled under his breath.

"I leave this to you Barty." Dumbledore said, turning to Hitler… erm.. Crouch.

After a moment of thought, Crouch turned back to Dumbledore and said. "The rules are absolute. The Goblet of Fire constitutes a binding magical contract. He has no choice." he looked at Harry. "As of this moment, Mr. Potter is…." _'Our new Führer!'*_

"….a triwizard champion."

X x x x x x

Harry, Neville, Cedric and Professor McGonagall walked through the now empty great hall toward the exit. As they reached the entrance hall, the Professor turned to Harry and Neville. "Mr. Longbottom." she said. "Twenty points for your courageous show of support for Mr. Potter."

Neville's eyes widened. 'T-Thank you Professor." he stammered.

With that the old Scotswoman made her way quickly to the headmaster's office.

Diggory turned to Harry. "Why do things like this always seem to happen to you Harry?"

"Believe me." Harry said. "I wish I knew myself."

"I'll make sure everyone knows you gave a magical oath that proved you didn't enter willingly." Cedric said.

"Thanks." said Harry. "Have a sparkly evening."

Diggory gave Harry a _queer _look before he walked away toward the Hufflepuff's common room.

X x x x x x x x x

As Harry and Neville walked through the portrait hole, they were met with the loud sounds of a party in full swing. He was met with many congratulations, and pats on the back, which annoyed him greatly. Neville was sending fierce glares at everyone.

Of course, Ron had to open his stupid mouth.

"You just had to do it didn't you!" he shouted, which brought the party to a halt.

His eyes were filled with pure hatred and loathing.

"You didn't have enough fame and fortune, so you decided to grab a little more glory and enter yourself in the tournament!" he shouted.

Neville clinched his fists, while Ginny and Astoria began to draw their wands, scowls on their faces evident. Hermione face palmed as she shook her head.

"It wasn't enough that you had to steal Hermione away from me, but you also had to fuck that stupid slut snake too! Who's next? Her little sister?" gasps came from everyone as Ron continued. "You get everything Pot.."

He was cut off as he found himself flat on his back after eating a knuckle sandwich courtesy of Neville.

"You stupid, fucking sod!' the normally shy boy shouted as he stood menacingly over Ron. "Harry didn't enter himself in the tournament! He even gave a magical oath that proved he didn't!"

Gasps were heard around the common room.

"The professors think some entered his name to kill him!" Neville continued. "But you're so blinded by your petty jealousy, that you can't even see the truth when it's right in front of you! You were a horrible friend, and are no better than that little shit Malfoy! Stay away from Harry!"

Neville looked up at the rest of the Gryffindors. "That goes for the rest of you who think Harry cheated his way in too!"

The entire common room was shocked stupid at Neville's unusual show of strength.

Hermione walked over to him and placed a hand on his shoulder. Neville seemed to deflate on the spot as he calmed down.

Shaking himself from his stupor, Harry approached Ron and crouched down next to him.

"You listen to me Weasley." Harry said in a deadly voice. "I you ever say anything bad about Daphne again, you'll find yourself on the wrong end of my wand."

He looked up at Astoria who was trying to kill Ron with her eyes. "You've also just pissed off her little sister." Harry continued. "I almost feel sorry for you, but I'm not going to stop her. You're on your own now you cock stain."

Harry rose to his feet, keeping his eyes on the prone Ron. He shook his head, and walked quickly up the stairs to his dorm. The silence behind him was deafening.

As he entered his dorm room, he heard the distinct sounds of spell fire, and Ron's screams, coming from the common room. _'Good on them' _he thought bitterly.

Just as he sat down on his bed, a 'pop' startled him. He found himself in a strong embrace from his faithful, yet weeping, house elf Dobby.

"Master Harry Potter sir!" the small elf cried. "Dobby has failed you!"

Harry looked at his elf with a confused look. "How exactly have you failed me Dobby?"

"Dobby failed to protect his master from bad things happening! From the bad people!" he continued to weep. "Dobby is a bad elf!"

He was just about to start punishing himself when Harry grabbed him by the shoulders.

"Dobby stop it!" ordered Harry. "You will NOT punish yourself. There was nothing you could have done. You haven't failed me in any way! You are a very good elf, and I am proud to have you as my friend!"

Dobby still sniffled. "Master Harry Potter is too kind to a lowly elf." he whipped his nose on a handkerchief he pulled form his tunic. He then produced a letter and handed it to Harry.

"This is from Mater Harry Potter's Greeny." the elf explained. "She is saying Master must read it immediately."

"Thank you Dobby." said Harry, taking the note from his elf.

With one last quick hug, Dobby stood back, and gave a very low bow, nose nearly touching the floor, before he popped away.

Opening the letter, he found a very short note.

_Harry,_

_Room of Requirement, NOW!_

_D._

He loved it when she was commanding.

Quickly donning his invisibility cloak, he made his way through the much subdued common room, and out of the portrait hole before anyone noticed him. Ron was no where to be seen.

Making his way the short distance to the RoR, he stopped in front of a door that was already there. Grabbing the handle, he opened the door and stepped inside quickly. He was nearly bowled over by a sobbing blond missile as the door closed, and then vanished behind him.

Why, why is it always you!" she wept into his robes, as she clung to him as if she were afraid he'd vanish is she let go. "If it isn't one thing it's another!"

He lead her over to a couch in front of a warm fire that the room had provided, and sat them both down.

"It's okay my Daphne." he whispered into her hair. "I'm going to make it through this alright."

She choked back another sob.

"I promised you that you wouldn't lose me." he said softly, "I intend to keep that promise."

He simply held her close, rocking back and forth gently. Neither remembered falling asleep, only that they felt safe in each other's arms.

X x x x x x x

The next two weeks were somewhat bearable. While the Ravenclaws seemed to be using their heads after it became known that Harry'd given a magical oath, thanks to Luna, the Hufflepuffs still glared at him when they passed.

Even though it wasn't Harry's fault,, they still felt that Harry was stealing their glory.

Idiots.

On the morning of Friday the thirteenth, badges appeared with the words 'Potter Stinks!'. They would then change to say "Support Cedric Diggory, The Real Hogwarts Champion!"

Most of the Slytherins, minus Daphne, Tracy, and Blaise, wore them. Even a few Hufflepuffs donned the offending badges of idiocy. The Ravenclaws appeared to be neutral in the entire thing. Except or a few of Cho Chang's friends for some reason. They would make the occasional snide remark when he passed them in the hallways.

Harry, Daphne, Hermione and Neville stood together outside of the potions classroom waiting for the arrival of their lovable professor. Tracy and Blaise stood near them, but separate, speaking in low tones.

"Hey Potter!" came the nasally voice of the ferret. "Do you like the badges I've come up with?" he said as he tapped his badge to switch sayings.

"Yes Draco." Harry said, deadpanned, "Very clever for a seven year old."

The Gryffindors laughed as Malfoy began to turn red in anger.

'So I stink eh?" Harry asked in amusement. "Well, at least I can take a bath. There is no cure for your homosexuality though is there?"

This sent Draco over the edge, as the Gryffindors laughed even harder. He drew his wand and Harry responded in kind. The spells they fired met in midair and were deflected off each other. Harry's spell hit Crabbe, blasting him into Pansy Parkinson. He lay on top of her, between her legs, unconscious. Draco's spell had hit Hermione square in the mouth, causing her teeth to begin growing at an alarming rate.

"What's going on here?" shouted Snape as he approached the group.

"Potter attacked me with out provocation Professor." Malfoy said.

"_Bullshit" _all the Gryffindors coughed.

"Ten points from Gryffindor for attacking another student Potter." Snape sneered greasily. "And a detention as well. Mr Goyle, help Mr. Crabbe off Ms. Parkinson, and take him to the hospital wing. The rest of you, inside now!"

"Sir!" Neville said. "What about Hermione? She got hit with a spell too."

Snape looked at Hermione, who's teeth were now level with her chin. "I see no difference."

Hermione whimpered, as Neville tried to lunge at the professor, only to be held back by Harry.

"Attacking a teacher Longbottom?" another sneer. "Twenty points from Gryffindor. You can also join Mr. Potter in detention."

Harry was lucky enough not to sit through Snape's class as Collin Creevy entered shortly after they began to inform Snape that Harry was needed for the Weighing of the Wands.

He spent a very uncomfortable time being interviewed by a woman named Rita Skeeter. He kept leering at him. He didn't know if it was because she had the chance t interview him, or if she was actually lusting after him. Either way, he didn't like it.

He liked the article she wrote even less. She called him a 'Tragic Hero' who's eyes were "Glistening with the tears of his past." Yes, he hated Rita Skeeter. The Slytherins wouldn't let him live it down.

X x x x x x x

Daphne was by herself in the Astronomy Tower a week after Rita's article had been published in the Daily Prophet. She was thinking of ways to bring the stupid bint down, and trying to figure out ways to help Harry through this tournament. She was so lost in her thoughts, that she failed to notice the lone figure behind her.

"A beautiful night, wouldn't you say Ms. Greengrass?" the voice of the headmaster startled her out of her thoughts.

She quickly turned to face him. 'Sir. I was just thinking. I know I'm out after.."

"It's quite alright Ms. Greengrass." interrupted Dumbledore. "No harm done. We've all got many things on our minds.' he finished as he came to stand beside her at the railing over looking the grounds.

"Might I inquire as to what you were thinking about?" he asked.

"I was thinking about the article that idiot Skeeter wrote." she said in a heated voice. "Also, I was worried about the first task. Harry has no idea what it's going to be, and he is scared." she looked down at her feet. "I'm scared."

Dumbledore studied her for a moment. She had given him the perfect opportunity to do what he came up here to do.

Turning to face her he said. "If you are worried about the first task." he paused, pretending to think as she looked up at him. "I cannot give Harry any help, but I think it would be wise to think on our School's motto." his eyes twinkled madly. "Goodnight." he said in a jaunty voice as he waved goodbye to her, and left.

She stood there for a moment, confused at to what the headmaster meant. She thought about the motto, and suddenly paled. It was all she could do not to faint. She was almost hyperventilating as she rushed down the stairs. Calling for Dobby, she told him that she had to wake Harry up and have him meet her in the Room of Requirement. It was an emergency, and could not wait until morning.

'_Dragons!' _she thought in a panic. _'Of all the bloody things!'_

X x x x x x x

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Note: There you have it. Things are picking up now. Next Chapter will be their first task. *Dunn dunn DUNNNNNNNN!* (dramatic musical score)


	22. Dragons, Yule Ball, and His Daphne

Note this chapter is going to contain a songfic part. Hopefully I'll do a better job than most. The song will be "Magic Works" from the Goblet of Fire soundtrack. Find it, and listen, hopefully I can get the timing right, and it will read at the same time as the song. Daphne's dress will be like the Avatar on my profile, without the bauble, . Here we go!

Chapter Twenty One

**Dragons, Yule Ball, and His Daphne.**

Harry sat in the Champion's tent, awaiting his possible doom. He looked across from him to see Krum pacing back and forth as 'Oooohs' and various other groans could be heard as Fleur battled her dragon. Cedric had been up first for the slaughter and had already completed the task.

When Daphne had sent Dobby to retrieve him, he had been wondering what was wrong as Dobby'd said it was an emergency, and she had been panicking. For a moment he thought someone had assaulted her, but realized that Dobby would have rescued her himself.

When he'd arrived in the RoR, Daphne was in the middle of a nervous fit. It'd taken ten minutes to get her to calm down enough to tell him what was wrong. When she'd told him about the hint that Dumbledore had given her, he paled. He'd sent Dobby to try and find if there were indeed keeping any dragons near by.

The elf returned very frightened. Dobby said there were four dragons, one for each champion.

Just so happens that Harry was unlucky enough to get the most vicious dragon.

Soon Harry was alone in the tent as Krum was called to face his dragon. The time passed painfully slow for Harry. He just hoped Plan A would work. If not, he could fall back on Plan B, and summon his broom.

Finally, after what seemed to him like an eternity, he was called forward.

X x x x x x x

Daphne was worried sick. She actually panicked when she figured out what Dumbledore was hinting at. Now she was staring down at the most vicious breed of Dragon, the Hungarian Horntail. The beast of many legends and stories that told of the destruction of entire cities, and castles.

Hermione'd already hit her with several calming charms, but they seemed to wear off fast. Either Granger wasn't as powerful as she liked to believe, of her panic was just too much for the charms.

She looked over to her left and saw Professor Dumbledore looking at her in concern, as well as Harry's head of house.

As it is, Daphne was currently holding on to the wooden railing in front of her so hard her nails were digging into the hard wood. Hermione was attempting to comfort her by rubbing her back, but Daphne didn't think it was helping. Ginny and Astoria were also unusually quiet. Normally the two wouldn't shut up with their incessant giggling. Usually about her and Harry. Astoria was also attempting to comfort Daphne with little success.

She watched as Harry stepped cautiously out of the tent to face his dragon. How she wished it were a metaphor.

X x x x xx x

"Oh. Fuck. Me." Harry said as he caught sight of the horned beast in front of him.

Looking around quickly, he saw numerous boulders, and logs laying around.

The Horntail began to move, so Harry levitated the larger rocks and boulders. With a flick of his wrist, he set them to orbit the large stone pen he was currently trapped in. The Dragon's attention was momentarily on the rocks circling around in an approximation of the Solar System. Now Harry just needed a Jupiter and Saturn.

He spied two large outcroppings just as he dodged behind one of the smaller rocks, about the size of a large desk, to avoid being burned to a crisp. He stabbed his wand toward the two large outcroppings in turn. There were very loud pops heard, as though giant bones were being snapped.

Suddenly the two large outcroppings were now boulders and they too were circling overhead. The crowd watched with baited breath as Harry made a dash for a better position to his right. He had almost made it when he tripped. The dragon bore down on him and released a jet of fire. Daphne screamed.

Looking at the flaming death that raced toward him, he pushed his magic to protect him. Just before the flames would have devoured him, they were stopped by a large shield of pure magic. The shield was opaque, much like a Partonus, and just as bright.

Harry could feel the massive drain on his magic when the flames stopped. He flung a powerful cutting curse at the dragon. It was by sheer luck that he caught it on it's left eye. The dragon staggered back while letting out a loud squealing roar.

This gave Harry time to make it behind the large rock he had originally hoped to take shelter behind. With the dragon distracted, he began the next phase of his plan early. He'd hoped it would have been a little later, when he drew the dragon away from the nest, but now was as good a time as any.

Harry pointed his wand at the first boulder, and in a throwing motion toward the dragon, he sent the boulder crashing into the dragon's head. The boulder had been only a little smaller than the head it collided with, so it nearly knocked the dragon off it's feet. The dragon let out another pain filled shriek. It had no time to recover however, as Harry repeated the action with a second boulder. This one shattered on impact, but still the dragon would not go down.

Harry continued to hurl the rocks and boulders at the dragon, each one pushing it back, bit by bit. Those rocks that did not break were quickly reused.

Harry felt himself quickly becoming tired, so eh knew it was now or never. He launched the second largest boulder, once outcropping, at the dragon, striking it square in the chest, before dropping the largest boulder on it's head…. Repeatedly.

Finally the dragon did not move, other than very laboured breathing. The dragon was a mess. Her wings were ripped and bent in very awkward directions, and it's jaw appeared to be broken. He felt terrible, but it was either him or the dragon.

Keeping his wand trained on the downed beast, he staggered toward the nest, and retrieved the Golden Egg. He never noticed that the crowd was dead silent.

As he crossed the threshold of the tent, he caught sight of a very pale Cedric Diggory. He along with Fleur and Krum were looking at him in awe, and some fear. It was the last thing he saw before he threw up what little he had in his stomach , and exhaustion took him into the peaceful world of darkness.

X x x x x x x x x x

He felt peaceful. It was dark and cosy here. It felt as though he has a soft pair of arms around him. '_! Would you please let go of my patient?" _he heard a distant echoing voice say.

'Were they talking about Daphne?' he thought to himself.

'_No!' _a different echo said. _'You're going to have to stun me before I let him go!'_

'_Ms. Greengrass! Really!' _The voices sounded closer, and more clear now.

He was beginning to feel the weight of his body again. He also felt another weight _on_ his body, and a pair of arms around him. He was coming to.

He cracked open his eyes, and he saw the familiar blond hair of his favourite person in the world taking up his field of view. She was clinging to tightly, her scent launching a delicious assault on his senses.

He wrapped his arms around her, and she quickly looked up at him.

'Harry!" she cried as she squeezed him tighter, burying her face in the crook of his neck. "Oh thank Gaia you're alright!"

"I've been telling you that for the past ten minutes Ms. Greengrass, but you refused to listen." said the stern voice of Madam Pomfrey.

"Here Mr. Potter." the nurse said as she handed a vial to him. 'It's pepper up potion. You used a lot of magic killing that dragon. You're going to feel very tired for the next day or two."

He downed it quickly, and he felt very flush for a moment before steam erupted from his ears. He did feel a lot better, but not completely.

"Killed?" Harry said when the steam subsided.

"Indeed Mr. Potter." said Hitler… erm Crouch. "You were not suppose to kill the dragon."

"Well how the hell was I suppose to know that?" he said fiercely, sitting up quickly. "Thanks to your stupid rules, I'm stuck in this damn tournament, and wasn't told what the task was weeks ago. I could have planned something better! Don't blame me for some one else's fuck ups!"

'Mr. Potter!" Professor McGonagall admonished, but didn't say anything else beyond that. She happened to agree.

At this point Charlie Weasley stepped forward. "Hi Harry." he said, looking at the boy with a bit of awe.

"Hey Charlie." said Harry. "Good to see you again."

"You too." said Charlie. "Incredible job out there. There hasn't been anyone able to kill a dragon in single combat since Merlin."

Dumbledore shifted a little.

"I wanted to tell you, that it is within your right to claim the Dragon as spoils of war." continued Charlie. "You defeated it fairly, so if you want, it's rightfully yours."

'I wouldn't have anywhere to keep it." said Harry.

"Not a problem there." said Charlie. "When we render the body down, we can put it all in a magically expanded trunk with featherweight charms. The only thing is that with dragon parts, the trunk can't be shrunk down."

"Okay." answered Harry. "I'll keep it."

X x x x x x x x

Over the next week, students would either stare at Harry in awe, or run away as soon as he glared at them for pointing and whispering. Ron seemed especially frightened as he remembered Harry's dire threat when he'd insulted Daphne.

The article I the Daily Prophet didn't paint him as a heroic dragon slayer, but as a boy with too much power who is possibly mentally unstable because he ruthlessly killed a dragon. Needless to say He and his friends, hated Skeeter even more.

He was sitting in transfiguration, waiting for the end of class when Professor McGonagall called for their attention, and announced the Yule Ball on Christmas Eve. The girls in the class began chatting excitedly as most of the boys groaned. Harry knew immediately who he was going to ask.

When the bell rang, signaling the end of the period, Professor McGonagall asked him to wait a moment. He looked at Daphne as she walked out of the class. He just hoped he could catch her before anyone else asked her out.

"Potter." the professor began. "As a Triwizard Champion, it is custom that you along with the other champions open the ball with the champions dance. So a date is required, lest you embarrass Hogwarts, and indeed the House of Gryffindor."

He was suddenly much more nervous about the ball. "But professor, I don't dance."

"Well you do now." she said before she dismissed him.

He walked out into the corridor, and was pleasantly surprised to see Daphne waiting for him across the hall. Looking around as he approached her, he saw Neville and Hermione standing near the end of the hall, trying to look nonchalant, and failing.

He took a deep breath as he stood in front of Daphne, who looked a bit shy all of a sudden. _'Gryffindors Charge Ahead.' _he thought.

"Daphne?" he asked, glad his voice hadn't broken.

"Yes Harry?" she said looking down, a pretty blush coloured her cheeks.

"Would you do me the honour of being my date to the ball?" he said, relieved that the hard part was over.

She looked up at him with the brightest smile he could ever remember from her. She threw her arms around him, and hugged the daylights out of him. "Yes! Yes! Yes! A thousand times yes!" she cried out in happiness.

He had a date for the ball. He felt happier than he could ever remember. But his stomach dropped a moment later when he remembered what he had to do.

"Um.. Daphne?" he said, embarrassed about the next part. 'Do you think you could show me how to dance? I don't know the first thing, and as my date, we, along with the other champions must have the first dance to open."

"Of course I'll teach you." she said, her voice suddenly turning to mock haughtiness. 'As a proper pure-blood, I am required to know such things." she couldn't hold her smile anymore, and started laughing.

"Thank you." he said with a smile, hugging her again.

When they turned to join their friends, they saw Hermione hugging Neville. It was obvious, he'd just asked her to the ball, and she'd said yes.

X x x x x x x

The night of the Yule Ball found Harry waiting in the Entrance Hall waiting for Daphne. Their dance lessons had been awkward at first. She went through a lot of essence of Murtlap for toes he'd stepped on repeatedly. She'd thankfully been a good sport about it, but threatened to hex him if he kept apologizing.

And so, here he was, in all his nervous glory, and sweaty palms. Neville and Hermione had already entered the great hall. She looked stunning. Neville had a goofy grin on his face when he'd seen her. Krum had asked Hermione to the ball, and seemed angry when she turned him down.

Harry himself was wearing black dress robes in a more muggle influenced fashion, that were also accented with a green vest and tie.

He felt awkward waiting there alone with the other champions and their dates. As he turned to the grand stairway he saw her. She looked incredible. He felt his heart give such a great thump, that he wouldn't have been surprised if the others had heard it. Harry suddenly found it very difficult to breathe.

She was dressed in a stunning green strapless floor length evening gown, that seemed to shimmer elegant gold floral patterns when the light hit the gown just right, with a matching shawl that hung off her arms instead of her shoulders. What did wrap around her shoulders and around her back were delicate yellow and white gold chains. Her hair was done up in an elegant knot, that revealed beautiful emerald earrings. She also had almost no make up at all, yet she looked gorgeous.

"Hi." she said shyly as she reached Harry.

"Hi," he replied breathlessly. "You look…. Wow. You look amazing."

"Thank you." she said looking down demurely, a slight blush colouring her cheeks.

Harry offered his arm. "Shall we?"

Professor McGonagall had the champions and their dates line up with Harry and Daphne bringing up the rear. As they entered the hall, all eyes were one Harry and Daphne. There were whispers and cheers, but Harry didn't care. He couldn't take his eyes off her.

As they seated at the champion's table, Dumbledore looked upon them with great happiness, eyes twinkling madly. He demonstrated how to order their dinner, and soon the entire hall followed suit.

All too soon, it was time for their first dance. Harry held Daphne a little closer than the dance required,, but he didn't care. He was going to enjoy this night. Right now, it didn't matter that they seemed to be the centre of attention, for neither looked away from each other's eyes.

Around the dance floor they spun, oblivious to all around them. As the night progressed, Harry and Neville traded dance partners a few times. The four friends were joined by the twins and their dates for a short while, before tearing up the dance floor with their outrageous moves.

They walked through the enchanted gardens for a short while. The Fairy lights seemed to take an unusual interest in the pair. They were followed the entire time., fairies flying around them constantly, dropping white rose petals on and around them as they walked hand in hand. Neither said a thing the entire time. They simply enjoyed being with each other.

They walked back into the great hall in time for the last dance of the night.

The music started slowly as he pulled her close, pressing her body against his. Her arms wrapped around his shoulders as she looked up at him with all her love in her eyes.

'_This goes out to all the lovers out there,"_

They heard the lead singer say.

"_Hold each other tight, and keep each other warm."_

"_And dance your final dance,"_

Tonight he'd ask her to be his.

"_This is your final chance,_

_To hold the one you love,"_

He realized this summer he'd fallen in love with her.

"_You know you've waited long enough"_

Yes they had.

"_So, believe_

_That magic works_

_Don't be afraid,"_

"Easy for you to say pal." thought Harry.

"_Of being hurt_

_Oh, Don't let,_

_this magic die_

_The answer's there_

_Oh, just look in her eyes."_

It was indeed. She rested her head on his shoulder as he held her closer.

"_And make your final move"_

Their lips drew closer together as he turned his head to rest his cheek on hers.

"_Don't be scared, she wants you too"_

Harry hoped so. Their lips inched closer and closer.

"_Yeah, it's hard, you must be brave"_

Everyone who remained in the hall seemed to be leaning forward, in anticipation, holding their breath. Even the band.

"_Don't let this moment slip away,_

_Now, believe.."_

Finally, their lips met for the first time….

"_That magic works…_

_Don't be afraid,"_

Neville gave a silent cheer.

"_Afraid of being hurt…."_

A soft glow surrounded them as the garden fairies came in and flew around the new couple.

"_Don't, don't let this magic die…_

_The answer's there"_

McGonagall had tears in her eyes as she smiled happily.

"_Oh, just look in her eyes"_

Dumbledore sighed in contentment.

"_And don't believe that magic can die_

_No, no, no, this magic can't die….."_

Their lips finally parted, and their foreheads touched.

"_So dance your final dance_

_'Cause this is_

_Your final chance."_

A cheer for the band erupted.

"_Thank you everyone, and goodnight!"_

X x x x x x x

Harry walked Daphne down toward the Slytherin common room, Neville and Hermione following a distance behind, giving them their privacy. Neville wasn't going to let Harry walk her own there alone.

As the pair stopped in front of the door to the Slytherin common room, they held each other close once again. Neither wanting the night to end.

"Will you do me the honour of being my girlfriend?" he asked her quietly. "Will you be mine?"

"I've always been yours my love." said Daphne, gently running her hand across his cheek.

He looked deeply into her eyes, and said the one thing he'd wanted to say on his birthday, but couldn't find the courage.

"I love you." he whispered.

Daphne's eyes widened. She then looked at him tenderly and responded. "I love you too. I always have"

He leaned in and kissed her. A kiss, that unlike their first, held a passionate promise for their future.

They reluctantly broke apart and said their good nights, with one final peck. He watched her until the door closed and he could no longer see her. He turned and walked back up the hallway he came from with a large smile on his face. He found Neville and Hermione waiting for him at the end of the corridor.

The pair smiled, as Neville gave Harry a pat on the back. Hermione gave him a tight hug and whispered "Finally."

The new Gryffindor "Golden Trio" walked back to their tower, arms around each others shoulders, feeling on top of the world. They knew, that no matter what trials lay before them, they would always stand beside one another. A team.

X x x x x x x x x

Note: I'd been going over the first kiss scene in my head since before I ever started this fic. I hope it wasn't too sappy or unrealistic. I tried to time it so that it could be read in time with the song, if you decided to play it in the background as you read. I think I did an okay job. I'm a hopeless romantic, what can I say?


	23. Yule Ball Aftermath, Second Task, Debts

Chapter Twenty Two

**Yule Ball Aftermath, Second Task, and Debts**

"_Why do you fight for these pathetic Muggles Myrddin?" said Gwrtheyrn, slightly out of breath. "You have power, but you don't use it. Why?"_

"_Because I do what's right." replied the young Myrddin. "Because it's what a real man does."_

_Gwrtheyrn sneered at the young mage._

"_Only weak fools do not seek power!" hissed the hideous masked dark lord._

"_No." Myrddin said defiantly. "Men don't fall into delusions of grandeur. You think you can take anything you want. Things which are not yours to take. People whom are not your's to posses. You may be thirty years my senior, but you are nothing more than a spoiled child in need of a spanking. You are pathetic, and I am here to discipline you, for your diseased whore of a mother failed to do so."_

_Gwrtheyrn cried out in rage and resumed his attack on Myrddin, who easily blocked and dodged the dark sorcerer's curses, powerful though they were. Myrddin knew his best chance to defeat his enemy was to tire him out. _

_An idea flashed through his mind, and decided it was the fastest way to force his enemy to exhaust himself. Force him to drain his magic._

_He would use the dark one's own arrogance and vanity against him._

_As Gwrtheyrn's wand tip began to glow green with the beginning of the curse Myrddin knew all to well, the young mage let loose his magic to push against his enemy's, connecting their wands. His pure indigo blue 'lightning bolt' of magic connected with Gwrtheyrn's as it left the dark lord's weapon._

_The effect was impressive as the two wands appeared to connect. The drain was immense, but the young wizard had power to spare. His enemy did not, no matter how much he deluded himself. _

_Myrddin's magical stream was much closer to his enemy's, as it would have only worked if it had connected as his opponent's spell was still leaving his wand. Timing and speed were everything._

_In his arrogance, Gwrtheyrn pushed his green coloured magic back as hard as he could, moving the ball of magic, which looked like it were spilling like smelted iron on to the ground, back toward the centre. _

_Gwrtheyrn's pride would never have allowed him to admit that he was not the more powerful of the two, and the fight had turned into a show of brute force…_

…_It was only a matter of time now….._

X x x x x x x

Harry's eyes opened slowly instead of snapping open as had happened every other time he'd had a dream of his past self.

Looking over at the clock, he saw that it was half past seven on Christmas morning. He sat up slowly, and looked down at himself. He smiled as he realized that he had fallen asleep still in his shirt and slacks. Everyone else seemed to be awake and going about their days already. Getting up from bed slowly, he rummaged through his trunk for clothes to wear for the day, and made his way to the shower.

He felt incredible today. There was a constant, comforting warmth in his abdomen, and a goofy smile on his face. He thought back to his first kiss last night. He'd told her he loved her, and she loved him back. It was the most incredible thing he thought he would ever feel. If he had to, he'd probably be capable of casting a Patronus one hundred feet tall.

The love he shared with Daphne made him think that he just might be able to make it through his trials yet to come. The prophecy and magical legacy now seemed insignificant in comparison to what he shared with her.

X x x x x x x

Astoria was giddy with excitement. She had insisted that Daphne join her in the Gryffindor common room, to exchange gifts, but also to find out what had happened last night. She'd had Harry's house elf bring all of Daphne's gifts up from the Slytherin dorm and place them under the beautiful tree that stood near the fireplace. The warming flames merrily crackled away as Astoria waited for either Harry or Daphne. She'd given her sister the password yesterday before the ball.

She hadn't been able to worm any information out of Hermione and Neville, who were currently sitting on the couch in front of the fire, enjoying Christmas biscuits and tea. She was almost bouncing in anticipation.

The portrait hole opened, and she saw Daphne walk into the common room, looking around warily, as she'd never been there before. Sitting at the Gryffindor table was one thing, but this one another thing entirely. She was literally in the Lion's Den. She was carrying her gift for Harry, as she refused to give it to Dobby. She told the excitable little elf that she was going to give it to his master personally.

She heard a squeal and looked over to see her little sister dashing over toward her.

"So what happened?" Astoria asked, "Did you two kiss? Are you finally together? Does he love you? Are you going o get married?"

"Stop!" Daphne said in a loud voice.

She looked at her sister who seemed as though she were about to burst.

"Yes we did kiss."

Astoria squealed in delight.

"It was on the dance floor during the last dance," to which her sister sighed happily.

"Yes we are together now, and yes he said he loves me, and I love him too." Daphne finished with blush and shy smile. Astoria then proceeded to squeeze the life out of Daphne.

When Astoria finally let go, a smirk worked it's way onto her face. Daphne's stomach dropped at the sight of her evil sister's evil little smile.

"Daphne's gunna get married. Daphne's gunna get married." Astoria said in a soft sing song voice as she made her way back to her place in front of the fire.

Daphne shook her head and looked around the common room. It was then that she saw Harry, standing at the base of the stairs, she could only assume lead to the dorms, looking embarrassed for only a moment before he rushed up to, wrapped his arms around her and placed a kiss on her lips.

Neither noticed Astoria squeal in delight once again. Nor did they notice the odd looks they were getting from the handful of Gryffindors still in the common room.

"Happy Christmas." Harry said after they broke the kiss.

"Happy Christmas my love." Daphne said, still in each other's arms.

The two made their way to where Hermione, Neville and Astoria were seated. To Hary's surprise, Astoria stood up and hugged him.

"Take care of my big sister." she whispered to Harry. "She means the world to me."

The gift exchange was a quiet affair amongst the five of them. Daphne's gift to Harry was a pocket watch. On the watch was an engraving of a Stag and a Doe nuzzling.

"It was your dad's." Daphne said. "My father went through evidence collected from your parent's cottage after.. Well, you know."

Harry nodded his head, tears in his eyes as he ran his fingers gently over the figures.

"He found that watch." she continued. "It was damaged, so he took it to a watch smith to get it back in working order."

"Thank you." Harry whispered, wrapping her in his arms.

Harry's gift to Daphne was a sapphire promise ring to match his. She promised a good long snog later, to which he blushed and smiled in a very goofy way.

All of them found Astoria's gift to Harry absolutely hilarious. Well, Harry and Daphne were thoroughly embarrassed by her gift. It was a blue t-shirt with the words "**Property of Daphne Greengrass**" written on the front.

Harry still put it on anyway. Daphne glared at her sister, when she said she'd have still given it to Harry even if they hadn't finally become a couple last night, as a way to get Harry to remove his head from his ass.

X x x x x x x x x

Albus Dumbledore was irritated. Not only was he annoyed that the tournament, Wizengamot, and running of the school took up so much of his time, and thus did not allow him to follow the leads on Tom Riddle's horcruxes, but also at his old mentor for leaving him just before Harry began to have visions of his past. How he could have used the old Alchemist's advice on what to do.

On top of that, Harry had been entered into this very dangerous tournament. Right under his crooked nose too! He was no closer to figuring out who'd entered his name in the Goblet of Fire, and that worried him to no end. Whom ever had done it, was very capable and accomplished in covering their tracks.

He was also very upset that the second task was going to take place under the black lake, where the merpeople would hold a hostage from each champion. If Dumbledore had to guess, Ms. Delacour's hostage would be a family member. The headmaster had tried to have the task changed, or even called off, but the Ministry refused. He knew that the Mermish nation and Veela were bitter blood enemies, and sending even a half Veela, and a family member would be a death sentence for both. The Ministry would not budge.

The only bright spot of the entire year was Harry's blossoming relationship with Ms. Greengrass. Never before had he seem his favourite pupil so happy. Even Minerva had tears in her eyes.

Unfortunately, Dumbledore's plan was a very high risk one, and Ms. Greengrass would complicate things. The headmaster had searched endlessly for a way to have the horcrux within Harry destroyed, without killing the boy. He still searched in hopes of finding some way to avoid Harry having to die.

No, Albus would find a way for Harry to live, but as it stood, the killing curse seemed to be the only sure way to rid Harry of the Horcrux. He may live, but then he may not. There was no way to know for sure.

He as going to eventually have to tell Harry. But for now, he'd wait. Happiness had finally found the boy, and he wasn't going to spoil it for him by adding this new burden.

He would redouble his efforts to try to avoid that route. He _must_ succeed in this, or the future Mrs. Potter would never forgive him. He would never forgive himself…

X x x x x x x

The weeks passed quickly after the new term started. Hagrid had missed two weeks of class after that vile Skeeter woman published an article that called Hagrid a dangerous creature because of his Half-Giant blood. Stupid bint.

Harry and company had also seen Victor Krum diving into the black lake. They thought he was mad for doing so in mid January, but to each their own. They'd all been working together to try and figure out the clue from the egg. They had no luck so far.

All Harry gathered from the egg so far was that it did a very good impression of the muggle known as Yoko Ono. Wouldn't have been ironic that a fight over the egg helped to break up their friendships? That didn't happen though.

Harry and Daphne were standing on the wooden bridge just past the stone circle that marked the entrance to the castle itself when Cedric Diggory asked to speak with Harry for a moment.

After telling Daphne that he'd be right back, the two champions walked a few paces away.

'_What does he want?' _thought Harry.

"Have you figured out your egg?" Diggory asked, to which Harry shook his head. 'You know the prefect's bathroom on the fifth floor?"

Harry nodded as he thought. _'Where is he going with this? Oh GOD! He's leaning in close to me! I knew it! Eww!'_

"It's not a bad place for a bath." Cedric said before he began to back away slowly. "Just take your egg, and mull things over in the hot water." he finished as he turned to walk away.

X x x x x x x x x

Harry waited until the next week to follow up on Diggory's advice. He wasn't sure if the sixth year was having him on, and he didn't want to be caught alone in there if it was a prank o some sorts. So Daphne convinced him to let her go with him.

Harry had dressed in a pair of swim trunks he'd ordered, and sweats over that. His attention wasn't focused on Daphne as he undressed. After turning on the many taps, which looked as though he were about to take a Gatorade bath, he stepped into the swimming pool size tub.

He turned and saw something that caused his heart to give a huge thud. Standing st the edge of the bath, was Daphne in a navy blue two piece bikini. His eyes bulged and he slipped on the bottom of the tub causing him to fall underwater.

Coughing and sputtering as he resurfaced, his eyes once again focused on Daphne, who was giggling at him.

"Like what you see Mr. Potter?" she asked in a sultry voice.

"V-Very much so y-yeah." he stammered.

She stepped into the bath slowly, allowing her hips to sway a little more than usual, never taking her eyes off Harry. She found his reaction adorable, and a bit of a turn on for her. She had no idea how heady it would feel to get such a reaction from him.

Harry's mind had gone blank, and he was sure he was drooling. He became aware that the his blood was rushing south, but he somehow managed a blush when he realized this. When Daphne entered the tub, she dove underwater for a moment to soak her hair. When she resurfaced, Harry had to lean against the edge to maintain his balance.

Daphne kept eye contact as she slowly swam toward him, and his heart started racing even faster. When she neared him she stood once again and pulled him into a searing kiss.

"Well, then maybe one day you'll get to see more." she said planting another kiss on his lips. "But not tonight." Daphne finished with a smirk as she pulled away. Harry groaned and allowed himself to sink under the sudsy water's surface in a half-hearted attempt to drown himself.

X x x x x x x

On the morning of the second task, the four champions stood on the shore of the black lake, waiting for the cannon to fire, signalling the start. Harry was pretty well hacked off about the whole thing. When he and Daphne figured out the clue, on that memorable night in the prefect's bath, he immediately knew what they were going to take.

Daphne's absence at breakfast had confirmed his fears. He also noticed Cho was missing, while Fleur seemed to be very nervous.

It didn't take long at all for a solution to the problem of breathing underwater to present itself. Almost immediately, Neville had suggested Gillyweed. Harry'd ordered enough for several practice sessions, and two to three hours for the task. It never hurt to have extra, just in case. Should that fail, Harry had also practiced the bubble-head charm.

Currently, Harry was freezing his balls off as it was late January, as he was dressed in swim trunks and a sleeveless shirt. He had a knife in a holster on his left thigh, and his wand on his right.

As the cannon fired, Harry ran out into the freezing cold water as quickly as he could, while setting the timer on his now water proof watch for an hour. When he reached water that was chest high, he took enough of his supply of Gillyweed to last and hour, and choked the disgusting plant matter down.

He quickly began to feel the familiar affects of the magical water plant and dove below the surface of the water. Hermione had deduced that there was a Mervillage somewhere in the very centre of the lake, so Harry swam in that direction.

After only ten minutes of swimming toward the deepest part of the lake, he finally saw the village. As he approached, he spied four figures who appeared to be tied to a large statue in what Harry could only assume was the town square.

As he approached, he saw that the hostages were Daphne, Cho, an unknown man who Harry had seen paling around with the Bulgarian seeker, and a small blond haired girl who resembled Fleur.

He quickly drew his knife and cut Daphne free. Looking at his watch, he saw there was still about forty-four minutes left in the task. Harry waited, as he didn't want to leave the others down there without knowing they'd be alright. Another ten minutes passed before he saw their first champion. It was Cedric.

Cedric quickly cut Cho free, and looked at Harry as he pointed at his watch. Harry nodded, and was about to climb for the surface when Cedric's eyes went wide at something behind Harry.

Quickly turning, Harry saw one of the most terrifying things he could remember. A shark was coming right for them, jaws open, ready to bite. Harry tried to dodge, but it turned out to be unnecessary as the 'shark' darted passed him. He was then able to get a better look at the creature, and saw that it had Krum's body with only a shark's head. The idiot failed to transfigure himself all the way.

Krum bit at the bindings to set his hostage free, but in doing so, ended up taking his friend's foot off. Harry and Cedric looked on in horror as Krum began swimming away with his hostage. Cedric followed quickly behind, as Harry waited for Fleur. The minutes passed, and there was still no sign of the French Veela.

Looking down at his watch, he saw that more than half the time had expired, and still had yet to see Fleur. Making up his mind, he swam toward the small girl, only to be stopped by a trident that was brandished in a threatening manner.

Harry drew his wand, and fired a bludgeoning hex at the merman in his path. When the merman backed away, Harry fired a cutting spell at the small vela's bindings, freeing her. Looking around, Harry saw dozens of merpeople closing in on him.

Harry grabbed the small girl, and Daphne and began kicking for the surface. Seeing the merpeople closing in, trying to stop him, he felt some one tug at the small girl wrenching her from his grasp.

Harry looked down to see the girl in the arms of a very angry group of mermen. One of them drew a large knife and was about to slash at her throat. Without thinking, Harry fired a powerful incendio at the merman. With the power Harry was capable of, the fire burned, even under water, as if it were a magnesium flare.

The spell impacted the back of the merman's head just before he drove the knife into the throat of the poor girl, causing his head to explode. The rest of the mermen scurried off a short distance as Harry went back to retrieve the young girl, whom Harry no assumed was Fleur's little sister.

When he collected her, he grabbed Daphne and began kicking like hell to get back to the surface. He suddenly felt incredible pain in the back of his thigh, and he looked down to see that his leg had been impaled by a trident.

He hooked both girls with one arm and fired another spell at the merman, who then yanked the trident from Harry's leg. The pain was incredible, and he was now loosing blood at an alarming rate.

He looked around to see dozens more merpeople charging him, and acting on instinct, let loose a wall of underwater fire. Several merpeople were caught in the flames, and let out blood curdling shrieks as they died.

The flames curtained Harry and the two girls as he kicked for the surface again, only at a much slower rate, as one leg was almost immobile. He could feel himself getting light-headed from the loss of blood as he neared the surface, and the water brightened. The wall of flames was now reaching toward the surface as well.

Back on the shore, Fleur Delacour was frantic. She'd been swarmed by Grindylows and she was forced to retire from the task. It wasn't until she was back on shore that she'd been told her little sister, Gabrielle, was the hostage she had to rescue. When she learned this, she tried frantically to rush back into the lake.

Diggory and Krum had already returned with their hostages, though Krum's was screaming in agony because he'd somehow lost a foot. She vaguely heard Diggory say that Harry Potter seemed reluctant to leave the other hostages.

As Fleur looked out to the lake, an enormous disturbance broke the surface. The water appeared to be boiling an a very large circle. The crowd gasped, and began speaking all at once while pointing at the raging water. Even the judges, and professors looked very worried.

As the water continued to boil, flames suddenly exploded from the churning water. They lasted by a few seconds before they burned out. In the middle of what was once a circle of watery hell, Fleur could see three figures, one of which was her little sister, now swimming toward shore. What she could also see was that the water was now stained red.

Everyone on shore heard a feminine scream…

X x x x x x x

'_Just a little further' _Harry thought, his mind fogging up.

He could also feel the affects of the Gillyweed wearing off, but he couldn't stop to reach for more. He was almost there, if he could just hold on a few more seconds, his Daphne could swim to safety, and take Fleur's little sister with her.

When he finally broke the surface, Daphne and the little Veela woke from their stasis, sputtering and coughing. Daphne looked over at a deathly pale Harry, and saw the water around them was red with blood. Seeing Harry begin to slip back into the water, Daphne screamed as she realized that he was badly injured, and grabbed hold of him.

She and the unknown little girl that Harry'd brought with him struggled to get the injured champion back to shore. Finally reaching water they could stand in, they were met by Percy Weasley, who helped carry Harry onto dry land. Daphne ripped her blouse and wrapped it around Harry's injured leg in an attempt to stem the flow of blood.

Madam Pomfery rushed to Harry's side and began to administer several potions. Daphne was about to let go of Harry's leg, but was stopped by the nurse, and told to keep pressure on the wound while she worked on stabilizing him.

With tear falling from her eyes, she noticed the Beauxbaton's champion rush up to her little sister and mumble several things in almost incoherent French that the little girl answered. Daphne saw them both look down at Harry, and saw the little girl had tears in her eyes as Fleur looked worried.

Daphne then heard terrible shrieking coming from the lake shore, and looked over to see Dumbledore having a heated discussion with what appeared to be a Merman elder. The headmaster was looking increasingly upset and angry. He finally cut the conversation short, and stormed back over to where the Minister of Magic standing.

She couldn't hear what was said, only that the Minister began blustering. She assumed that Dumbledore was dressing Fudge down. Madam Pomfrey ordered her to let go of the improvised tourniquet so she could close the wound on Harry's leg.

"Daphne?" she heard a weak voice say. Looking down she saw her love had his eyes open tiredly. She immediately latched on to him.

"You stupid noble prat!" she whispered.

'They were going to kill her Daphne." he said weakly. "They grabbed her away from me, and were about to cut her throat."

Daphne was horrified at hearing this. She knew that Mermish nation and Veela had fought a very bloody war long ago, but surely the assholes could have put aside their differences for one damn day. Couldn't they? It would seem as though they couldn't.

'_Idiots. The lot of them. Minister Fudge most of all.' _Daphne thought viciously.

When Madam Pomfrey closed the gash in Harry's leg, she levitated the boy to the medical tent, muttering about insane tasks and death sentences. Daphne held his hand the entire way, while Fleur and Gabrielle followed behind them.

When Harry was placed on one of the beds in the medical tent, Fleur approached, the now sitting Harry, and planted a kiss on each cheek, before firmly planting a kiss on his lips. Daphne was only a second from hexing her into next year when her rational side reminded her that her sister had nearly been murdered by a bunch of glorified fish.

She knew her thoughts on the merpeople were rather harsh, but because of what they did to her Harry, she wasn't feeling very charitable or tolerant at the moment.

"You saved her, even though she was not yours to save!" Fleur said as she hugged Harry. "They would 'ave keeled us both if I 'aden't been stopped by zee Grindylows. Thank you!"

"No problem." said Harry, who was now blushing instead of pale.

They noticed a tall blond woman, who looked like Fleur's older sister stand beside Gabrielle and place her hand on the top of the little girl's head.

"My family owes you a life debt 'Arry." The Woman said. "I am Apolline Delacour, Gabrielle and Fleur's mozzer." she paused. "To Veela magic this is a very serious thing. As such, should you wish to do so, you may claim Gabrielle as you wife or consort when she turns fifteen years of age as repayment of our family's debt to you."

"WHAT?" shouted Harry and Daphne at the same time.

X x x x

X

X

X

X

Note: Oh no! A Veela life debt, and family honour on the line now! What will happen next?

I thought it was funny for Merlin to talk smack by using the ancient version of "Your Mom!" to goad Gwrtheyrn to attack him, so Merlin could get him right where he wanted him.


	24. The Third Task

_They noticed a tall blond woman, who looked like Fleur's older sister stand beside Gabrielle and place her hand on the top of the little girl's head._

_"My family owes you a life debt 'Arry." The Woman said. "I am Apolline Delacour, Gabrielle and Fleur's mozzer." she paused. "To Veela magic this is a very serious thing. As such, should you wish to do so, you may claim Gabrielle as you wife or consort when she turns fifteen years of age as repayment of our family's debt to you."_

_"WHAT?" shouted Harry and Daphne at the same time._

Chapter Twenty Three.

**The Third Task.**

"I said it was an option Mousier Potter." said Apolline laughing lightly. "Not a requirement."

Harry gave her a befuddled look while Daphne did her best not to scowl.

"I was making the traditional offer of my daughter to you."

"But she is what? Nine?" Hary asked.

"Je suis près de treize!" Gabrielle huffed.

"She may look young, but she is almost thirteen years old." Apolline answered. "As Veela, we age differently from 'umans as a defence. Wars 'ave been fought, and invasions taken place in order to possess Veela as slaves."

"But I think you will need something ozzer zan my daughter as it would seem that you already have a future wife."

"Oh.." Harry said blankly.

'The offer will always be open of course." Apolline said, which drew a scowl from Daphne. "But I think, a promise to lend any support we can in ze future be a more practical. We are in your debt." she finished with a curtsy before walking away.

Fleur planted two more kisses on his cheeks, followed in kind by a blushing Gabrielle, before walking out of the medical tent. Dumbledore walked in immediately after the two Veela had left.

"Congratulations Harry." he said. "You've been awarded full points for your selfless act and moral fibre."

Daphne thought quickly. "That makes you tied with Cedric for first place." she said with a smile.

Harry could see the headmaster's eyes were full of mischief before the old man gave a jaunty wave as he exited the tent.

X x x x x x x x x

Hours later found Harry dozing in the Gryffindor common room with his head on Daphne's lap after being released from Madam Pomfrey's clutches into his girlfriend's capable hands. She was currently reading ahead in Transfiguration, while running her fingers through Harry's messy locks.

Most of the Lions had become accustom to her presence and no one ever said anything. Mostly because they feared Harry. The boy-who-lived, the boy-who-beat-a-dragon-to-death-with-rocks, the boy-who-set-mermen-on-fire.

As stupid as he might be, even Ron Weasley was smart enough o keep his mouth shut whenever he saw the beautiful Slytherin girl in Gryffindor tower. He'd also come to realize how much of an utter fool he had been. He had accused Harry and Hermione of shagging behind his back when they'd done no such thing. To make matters worse, he'd insulted the girl Harry was actually interested in.

Why? Because he was jealous. Jealous of Harry and his fame and money. Jealous of the fact that girls would rather look at Harry than him. Then when Harry's name came out of the Goblet of Fire, he'd immediately jumped to the conclusion that Harry'd entered himself to gain even more fame. He once again insulted Daphne Greengrass, but it wasn't Harry who'd laid him out flat..

To Ron's surprise, it had been Neville. The same boy who'd been little better than a squib for their first three years at Hogwarts, was now showing strength that no one knew he possessed. The night of the champion selection, Ron had been seething with anger and green with envy, but Neville had been the one to stand up beside Harry. Hermione, Daphne and Neville had never doubted Harry for a second.

Ron had finally realized that he'd been a terrible friend, and needed to grow up. He'd lost his best friends because he decided to be a git and throw around accusations. He had once been able to get on well with his other dorm mates, but since Ron had shoved his foot into his big mouth, most of Gryffindor, including his siblings, had virtually shunned him.

His parents were absolutely right in not allowing his to attend Harry's birthday party. He'd had the nerve to rant about Daphne's intentions toward Harry even though she had been kind enough to extend the invitation to include him. Even after all he'd done, she still found the kindness in her heart to reach out to him so that he might try to at least be on civil terms with his ex-best friends. The he'd hurt her feelings when she, Harry and Neville came to stay the night before the World Cup at the Burrow. His siblings, including Bill and Charlie, lit him up that evening.

The twins were especially merciless on him. He hadn't learned his lesson by the time Halloween came around, and had even implied that Astoria Greengrass would also be spreading her legs for Harry sometime in the future. Astoria and Ginny had sent him to the hospital wing after Harry's walked up to their dorms.

It was a bitter pill to swallow, but Ron realized that he was nothing more than a petty, jealous, all around terrible person. He knew he'd never be friends with any of them again, but he'd make an effort to improve himself from now on.

Besides, he didn't want to get on Harry's bad side again. If he cold beat a dragon to death, and set merpeople on fire while underwater, surely he could squash Ron like a bug or an over ripe melon.

He also knew, that he'd be spending his upcoming birthday alone….

X x x x x x x x x

It was the morning of the Third task, and Harry was making his way toward the great hall. He became very nervous when Professor McGonagall told him the champions would be meeting their families to spend the day with them. For a moment Harry'd gotten the crazy idea that the Dursleys would be there, but put it out of his mind quickly.

He thought back on the last few weeks. Ludo Bagman had gathered the four champions to explain the final task to them. Harry and Cedric had been horrified at the condition of their beloved Quidditch Pitch, which was currently sporting fifteen foot high hedges.

Fleur had also warmed up to Harry., and she was often part of his group of friends while in the great hall for meals, or sitting by the lake. His non git professors had commended him for being the only one thus far to realize the actual point of the tournament. Harry'd made friends in France, who also happened to be very high up in their ministry. Fleur's father was also a shoe in for minister of France in the next election and had pledged his support for the young champion.

As Harry entered a room off the great hall, he spotted Cedric with his parents. He spotted Fleur and her parents as well as Gabrielle, who smiled at him brightly and waving at him. As he scanned the room, he spotted Sirius, Mr. and Mrs. Weasley, as well as Daphne, Astoria and their parents. All of the adults were smiling proudly at him. He had family now. His heart swelled at the thought as he went over to them and was engulfed in many bone crushing hugs.

They all spent the day walking around the lake and school, talking and laughing. Astoria made it her mission to tease Daphne and Harry at every opportunity. As they walked around the lake, Harry had noticed that Sirius and Samuel were hanging back, and appeared to be conducting serious business. Harry wondered what it was about, but put it out of his mind when he heard Daphne shriek indignantly before chasing Astoria around, firing mild stinging hexes at the younger girl's bottom the entire time.

As the time to head down to the pitch arrived, Harry walked down with Daphne clutching his arm tightly. They stood at the entrance to the great maze for several minutes as the stands began to fill with excited students.

Daphne turned to Harry and hugged him tightly before giving him a passionate kiss.

"Come back to me safe okay?" she whispered as she pulled away slightly.

"I promise." Harry said before she reluctantly let go and made her way up into the stands next to Hermione.

Once the stands were filled, the Hogwarts band began playing the Hogwarts march for several minutes before Professor Dumbledore called for silence.

"Earlier today, Professor Moody placed the Triwizard Cup deep within the maze." Dumbledore said in his magically enhanced voice. "Only he knows it's exact position. Now as Mr. Diggory.." a loud cheer erupted from the crowd. "and, Mr. Potter…" again a loud cheer. "are tied for first place, they shall be the first to enter the maze. Followed by Mr. Krum, and Ms. Delacour."

"The first person to touch the cup, will be the winner!" finished Dumbledore.

The headmaster went on to explain how the champions should send up red sparks should they need to withdraw.

It was time. As Harry and Cedric approached the maze entrance, the noise from the crowd was deafening.

"Now at the sound of the cannon….One!" Dumbledore was cut off by Filch firing said cannon prematurely. Dumbledore looked thoroughly annoyed at the bitter old care-taker.

Harry and Cedric raced into the maze.

X x x x x x x x

It was over and hour into the third task, and thus far, Harry's come across few obstacles. He'd gotten past a Sphinx, confounds mist, and had reduced a boggart to ashes. Harry was rounding a corner when he heard a woman's scream. He knew immediately that it could only be Fleur.

Harry raced to where he thought he'd heard the scream. Turning several corners, and having to back track twice, he found Fleur unconscious at the base of a hedge. Not knowing what else to do for the girl, Harry used her wand to send up red sparks so that she could be taken to safety before he continued his journey through the maze.

Several minutes later he came across a vicious duel between Cedric and Krum. Harry was confused for a moment, before seeing the look in Krum's eyes. He'd been Imperioused!

Krum then hit Cedric with the Cruciatus causing the rather suspect Hufflepuff to scream in agony. Harry levelled his wand at Krum and hit him with a powerful disarming hex which blasted him almost entirely through the hedge.

"He was under the Imperious." Harry said as he helped Cedric to his feet.

"Looks like this has gotten a lot more dangerous." replied Cedric.

The two parted ways and both continued onward. Another fourty minutes in, and Harry had yet to encounter another obstacle, which he found very strange.

Turning another corner, he finally saw it. In the distance was a blue glow that could only be the cup. He made a mad dash for it, only to run into and Acromantula that was attempting to make lunch out of Cedric.

Harry couldn't let the Puff battle the giant spider on his own, so Harry raised his wand and began firing cutting curses at the spider. The curses did little more than gouge it's tough hide. He spider rushed Harry and ploughed straight into him, sending him sprawling. Th next thing Harry knew, he felt a terrible pain in his right leg as the giant arachnid had grabbed a hold of his ankle with it's pincers.

HE didn't have time to catch his breath, but fired an incendio at the spiders eyes, causing the beast to drop him. Harry righted himself, and in a moment of inspiration, he fired powerful cutting curses at the base of the spider's legs, severing three of them, before unleashing a jet of fire, igniting the spider's body.

The beast gave a loud screech before it ran head long into and over the hedges, setting several of them ablaze. Cedric approached Harry and helped him to his feet.

"Thank you." said Harry, while he tested his ankle. It hurt, but he could still walk well enough. It felt like nothing more than a mild sprain.

"That's twice you saved me." Cedric said looking toward the cup. "Take it."

"What?" Harry asked.

"You deserve it." Cedric said. "Take it."

"No." said Harry. "You're the real Hogwarts champion. It should have been you this whole time. You take it."

"If you hadn't been entered, it's likely that Fleur and her sister would have been killed by the merpeople.." said Cedric shaking his head. "You killed a bloody dragon, rescued a Veela girl from sworn blood enemies, and you've set an Acromantula on fire. You're a better wizard than me Harry."

'We'll take it together." Harry said quickly. 'That way it will still be a Hogwarts victory."

Cedric looked at Harry strangely for a moment, before shaking his head in resignation.

"Alright." he said as they stood next to the cup. "On three. One. Two. Three."

As the two Hogwarts champions grabbed hold of the cup at the same time, they both felt the familiar tug behind their navels that was indicative of portkey travel.

'_Oh shit!' _thought Harry, mentally kicking himself for becoming complacent.

X x x x x x x x


	25. The Dark Lord Returns

**Chapter Twenty Four**

**The Dark Lord Returns.**

After a dizzying several seconds, Harry and Cedric found themselves roughly deposited on the ground. With pained groans, they both got back to their feet, trying to catch their bearings.

They appeared to be in a graveyard. Where they were neither of them new.

"Harry the cup is a portkey." said Cedric.

Harry walked in front of a large tombstone, and saw a name that name his stomach drop right into his shoes. On the grave was the name "Tom Riddle". Looking around, he saw a large cauldron bubbling away over a large flame.

Suddenly his scar burst open in pain, and he fell to his knees.

"Harry what's wrong?" Cedric asked coming to Harry's aide.

'Get back to the cup!" Harry shouted.

'What are you talking about?"

It was then they both noticed a short fat man approaching. Harry recognized the person immediately. It was Wormtail. The traitor looked seemed to be carrying a small bundle in his arms.

"Kill the spare!" the two champions heard a high pitched voice cry.

'Avada Kedavra!" Wormtail shouted.

Sickly green death raced toward Cedric, but Harry was able to fight through the pain and tackled the Hufflepuff to the ground. The killing curse missed Harry by inches.

Harry raised his wand to retaliate, but was knocked back down by something large. He looked and saw a very large snake rearing back to strike. To slow, Harry was bitten on his leg. He cried out in agony as the snake twisted.

Cedric wasn't fast enough to avoid a second killing curse, and was struck down.

"No!" shouted Harry.

He was able to do nothing else as he found himself thrown toward the Riddle tombstone and tightly bound. His head was spinning from impacting unprotected against the unforgiving stone.

"Do it!" said the high pitched voice again. "Now!"

Wormtail dropped the bundle into the cauldron and began the ritual to resurrect his master, Harry cursing up a storm the entire time.

"Bone of the father, unknowingly given. You shall renew your son!" Wormtail recited.

There was a cracking sound coming from the ground at Harry's feet. He then saw white dust rising from a gash in the ground and drop into the cauldron.

"Flesh of the servant, willingly given. You will revive your master." Wormtail pulled a dagger from his robes, and held his hand over the cauldron before slicing his hand off at the wrist, with an agonized scream, allowing the flesh to fall into the now boiling mixture.

Whimpering, Wormtail cleaned off the dagger and approached Harry. Wormtail freed Harry's right arm and slashed it, collecting his blood.

"Blood of the enemy, forcibly taken. You shall resurrect your foe." Wormtail finished as he dripped Harry's blood into the cauldron.

The contents of the cauldron burst into flames and the large container tipped onto it's side. With a cold spike of fear, he saw a tall skeletal thin man step out of the over turned cauldron. Lord Voldemort had returned.

"Robe me." the dark lord said in a deathly quiet voice.

Once he was clothed, he ordered Pettigrew to give him his wand.

'Your arm Wormtail." said Riddle

"Thank you master." Wormtail whimpered, bringing his stump forward.

'Your other arm Wormtail!" Voldemort said harshly.

Grabbing hold of Wormtail's left arm, Voldemort jabbed his wand harshly at a pale tattoo, causing it to turn black. Wormtail once again screamed in pain.

Within moments, numerous cracks of apperation echoed through he grave yard. Nearly twenty black robbed, masked figures, like those at the World Cup stood in a circle around Voldemort. There were numerous empty spaces in between each death eater.

"Welcome my friends" said Voldemort. "Thirteen years it's been, and yet… here you stand before me, as though it were only yesterday."

Voldemort circled in place, looking over each robed, inbred, bigoted idiot with a false smile.

"I confess myself.." Voldemort's false smile fell into a scowl. "Disappointed."

Harry could see the death eaters shudder as one.

"Not one of you tried to find me!" he rushed forward to each one, naming them as he removed their masks, each falling to their knees.

"Not even you…" he looked at the final masked wizard. "Lucius." he said as he removed the blond ponce's mask.

Now on his knees, Lucius grovelled. "My Lord. If I had detected any sign, a whisper."

"There were signs my slippery friend, and more than whispers." said Voldemort _"I've been twittering like mad!"**_

"I assure you my Lord." said Lucius. 'I have never renounced the old ways. The face I've been forced to present since your.. Absence… That is my true mask."

"I returned." Wormtail said in a small frightened voice.

Voldemort rushed up to the snivelling rat so quickly that it made Wormtail cower.

"Out of fear! Not loyalty." said Voldemort. "Still…. You have proven yourself useful these last few months."

With a wave of his wand, Voldemort conjured a silver hand on what was once Wormtail's stump.

'Thank you my Lord." Wormtail brown nosed.

Voldemort walked over to Cedric's body, and turned the dead boy's face with his bare foot to get a better look as he tisked. "Oh. What a shame. Such a handsome boy"

"Don't touch him!" Harry shouted, which caused Voldemort to look up at him.

"Oh, Harry. I'd almost forgotten you were here." the dark lord said in a falsely cheerful voice. 'Standing on the bones of my father."

Voldemort approached Harry, which made his scar burn even more than it already was.

"I'd introduce you, but word has it that you're almost as famous as me these days."

Voldemort turned to his death eaters for a moment as he said. "The Boy-Who-Lived." he turned back to Harry. "How lies have fed your legend Harry. Shall I reveal what really happened that night thirteen years ago?" Voldemort turned and walked back into the centre of his circle of followers.

"Shall I divulge how I truly lost my powers?" Voldemort asked.

"It was love." said Voldemort. "You see when dear sweet Lily Potter gave her life to save her only son, she provided the ultimate protection. I could not touch him."

The dark lord approached Harry slowly. "It was old magic. Something I should have foreseen. But no matter. Things have changed."

Voldemort then charged up toward Harry. "I can touch you now!" he said as he pressed a finger to Harry's scar. The pain was unimaginable. Harry felt as though his head had been split opened with an axe. He screamed in agony, as Voldemort mockingly parroted his cries.

"Astonishing what a few drops of your blood will do isn't it?" he turned and walked away quickly, as Harry was suddenly released from his bindings causing him to fall to the ground.

'Pick up your wand Potter!" Voldemort ordered.

Harry did so as he stood, preparing to fight for him life.

"You've been taught how to duel I presume?" Voldemort asked. "First we bow to each other."

Harry stood straight, defiantly.

"Come now Harry." Voldemort mocked. "The niceties must be observed. I said Bow! Imperio!"

Harry felt the calming affects of the Imperious curse try to take hold. They were telling him to bow. Telling him he wanted to bow. _'Like hell I will!'_

"No!" Harry said, surprising everyone there.

"Very well then Potter." said Voldemort.

Harry suddenly felt as though a giant hand were pressing his back, causing him to unwillingly bend at the waist as the death eaters laughed at him.

"Crucio!" cried Voldemort.

Harry felt as though every inch of his body was being stabbed by white hot knives. Very quickly though, the spell was lifted.

"A few rocks will not defeat me Harry." said Voldemort from at least fifteen feet away. "You're all alone. Dumbledore isn't here to save you. You will be with your filthy muggle mother soon."

From his prone position, Harry let loose a powerful cutting curse. Voldemort had underestimated the strength of the curse, as it pushed him back several feet at he deflected it, right into the face of one of his death eaters, ending his life.

"Well." Voldemort laughed. "The boy has some spunk. Good, I was hoping this wouldn't be boring."

Harry jumped back up to his feet and let loose several more cutting curses and bludgeoning hexes as he moved quickly to the left and right. Each spell was dodged by Voldemort, but with effort. Neither had cast spells at the same time. He had clearly underestimated the boy.

Harry dove behind a small tomb as Voldemort shouted at him as he cast the killing curse after him. "Don't you turn your back on me Harry Potter! I want you to look at me when I kill you! I want to see the light leave your eyes!"

Harry sat, leaning against the tomb. He gathered up his courage as he thought of Daphne. His heart ached at the thought that he would never see her again, for if he was going to die tonight, he would die on his feet. Like a true Gryffindor. It was all he could do not to break down right there as he thought of his love's smiling face.

Standing up, Harry walked back out from behind his cover to face Voldemort.

"Have it your way then." Harry said.

"CONFRINGO!" Harry shouted at the same time Voldemort shouted,

"AVADA KEDAVERA!"

Instead of blasts of magic, something neither expected happened. There was a distinctly avian cry as jets of magic, resembling electric arcs in sight and sound, shot from both wands and connected in the halfway between them.

Voldemort's green magic was met with equal force by Harry's indigo blue as the two wands fought for domination. The ball of 'melting' magic was slowly inching toward Harry. He didn't know what would happen, just that he had to push the magic back toward Voldemort.

As the ball of magic drew closer, Harry's wand bucked violently. It took two hand to keep a firm grip and not allow his wand to fall out of his hand. He knew it would mean death if he did so.

Slowly, the ball of magic came to a stop, and began moving back toward Voldemort. Suddenly with another avian cry, light shot straight up from the magical connection, and spread out in a golden sphere, separating Harry and Voldemort from the death eaters.

"Do nothing! He's mine to finish!" Voldemort commanded.

Harry was willing the magic closer to Voldemort's wand, and he could see worry in the dark lord's eyes as his wand began to buck violently, just as Harry's wand did.

Closer it drew, until it finally made contact. Inhuman screams were heard from Voldemort's wand before a smoky form shot out of the wand and materialized in the form of Cedric. "Hang on Harry! Help is coming!" the ghostly form of the recently deceased boy said as a second form flew out of Voldemort's wand. It was an old man.

The ghostly figure of the man looked at Voldemort and began cussing at him. He then looked at Harry with fierce eyes and said. "You fight him boy! Fight that cock sucker! Don't give in! Never give in to the likes of him!" before he started circling Voldemort, taunting the dark wizard.

Another smoky form shot out of the wand, and materialised into the shape of a middle aged woman whom Harry did not know. She too began circling Voldemort, shouting obscenities at him.

Finally, two forms leapt from Voldemort's wand almost simultaneously. One coming to rest one each side of Harry.

'Harry!" he heard from his left. He saw his father. The same face he had seen in the Mirror of Erised. "When the connection is broken you must get to the portkey! We can linger for a moment to give you some time but only a moment do you understand?"

Harry nodded. "Go Harry You have to get out of here." Cedric said.

"What about your body?" Harry asked.

"Forget about me Harry. You have to get back." said the Hufflepuff's ghostly form. "You have to get back to Daphne alive. Go back and live. Get married and have lot's of children."

"We're so proud of you son!" came his mother's voice form his right. "You have to let go now! Sweetheart you're ready! Let go! Let go now!"

With a great wrench of his wand, the connection was severed as the ghostly forms of those deceased raced to obscure Voldemort's vision. Harry rand as quickly as he could toward Cedric's body. He summoned the cup as he grabbed hold of the body. As soon as the cup touched his free hand, he felt the all to familiar pull behind his navel and he was gone.

Voldemort rushed forward to find Harry, but when he looked, the boy was no where to be seen. He let out a cry of rage at his failure to kill the little whelp.

X x x x x x x x

Harry landed in a heap on top of Cedric's boy, and could hear the sounds of cheers erupting all around him.

Dumbledore was the first to reach him.

"He's back! Voldemort's back! He used my blood!" Harry cried. "Cedric told me to save myself, but I couldn't leave his body there! Not with them!"

"It's okay Harry. You're both home now." said Dumbledore.

Harry vaguely heard the Minister order people back into their seats, and tell Dumbledore that Cedric's body had to be moved. In his shock, he was also barely aware of a pair of feminine arms embracing him.

Suddenly he was lifted up by a much stranger set of arms. It was Moody telling him that it wasn't where he wanted to be.

Daphne thought this was all wrong. She'd been told by Professor Moody that he was taking Harry up to the safety of the castle and that she had to stay there after she'd followed him to just outside the Quidditch stadium. She turned and ran to find Dumbledore.

The old wizard paled when she told him that Moody had taken Harry up to the castle. With speed that no man his age should ever be able to achieve, he ran toward the castle with Daphne hot on his heels.

She knew where they might be. Moody's office. Daphne put on a burst of speed, fuelled by her growing rage. She quickly left Dumbledore far behind her as she ran full tilt to rescue Harry.

X x x x x x x

Harry was once again in a state of shock. It was Moody who put his name in the Goblet. He'd confessed to the whole thing. Now Harry was mentally and physically exhausted and back into a corner near the door to Moody's office.

"Imagine how he will reward me, when he learns that I have once and for all, silenced the great Harry Potter!" he said as he raised his wand to strike Harry down, but never got that far as a loud female voice shouted "Expelliarmus!" from the other side of Moody's office door.

The door exploded sending shards of splintered wood into the defence professor. Daphne's spell still carried enough power after destroying the door, to blast Moody into the wall across the office.

Daphne stormed in, wand trained on Moody, looking ready to kill. Dumbledore, McGonagall and Snape right behind her. Once the three professors had their wands trained on Moody, Daphne lowered her wand and found a shell shocked Harry against the wall, barely able to stand.

She rushed toward him and once again, gathered him in her arms and apologized profusely for not protecting him better. Harry could only nod as he held on to her tighter.

They both looked up in time to see Moody being force fed truth serum.

"Do you know who I am?" Dumbledore asked with force.

"Albus Dumbledore." came the strained reply.

"Are you Alastor Moody?"

"No."

"Where is he?" Dumbledore continued his interrogation.

"In the seventh compartment of his trunk." 'Moody' replied.

'Who are you?"

"Bartimus Crouch Jr." the impostor revealed as his face began transforming.

In short order, there sat the deranged form of Barty Crouch's insane son, who looked at Snape and said. "I'll show you mine if you show me yours." as he pulled up his left sleeve.

While the two heads of house kept their wands trained on Crouch, Dumbledore went to Harry and gingerly lifted his right sleeve, revealing a long gash along his forearm. Dumbledore let out a breath as if he'd been sucker punched in the gut.

"Ms. Greengrass." said Dumbledore. "If you would be so kind as to take Mr. Potter straight to the hospital wing. I will take care of things here."

"Yes sir." she replied as she lifted Harry and supported as much of his weight as she could.

X x x x x x x x

An hour later, in the hospital wing, Daphne sat by Harry's bedside as she refused to leave his side again. Madam Pomfrey objected until Dumbledore told her to leave Daphne be. The matron huffed as she went to gather needed potions.

At the moment, Harry was asleep, having been given a dreamless sleep draught. Tears ran down her cheeks as she thought about what could have happened tonight. Harry had faced Voldemort and survived. Diggory wasn't so lucky and was now lying under a white sheet at the far end of the ward.

To add to it all, she'd allowed him to be taken out of her arms, and he was almost killed again. She berated herself for her stupidity. She promised herself, that from that moment on, she would do everything she could to protect Harry. That she would never again, leave his side, no matter how much he would want to complain about it.

She was never going to leave his side again. Not if she had anything to say about it. Little did she know, that her father, and Sirius had decided to move their plans up. Plans that would join them as husband and wife before summer's end, and fulfilling the dreams of both Harry and Daphne.

X

X

X

X

X

X

Note; there you go. Boy am I tired….. Insomnia is a bitch! Ha! Cliffy in the last two chapters. I decided to keep this as an exclusive HP/DG story. If I wanted to, I'd just write an HP/GD story, but I'm already having enough trouble coming up with things that haven't been done before, and if they have been done, I've not read them yet.

As adorable as Gabrielle is (especially played by Angelica Mandy) it wouldn't have added anything to this story, and would have only gotten in the way. Soon Fifth year shall begin, and it will be an all out resistance/guerrilla-war against Umbitch waged by the students. Needless to say, Daphne, or Mrs. Potter will NOT be happy about the blood quill.


	26. She said Yes!

Warning! Sexual Content in this chapter! If you don't like it… Grow the Eff up! It's what people do, get over it!

**Chapter Twenty Five.**

**She said Yes!**

o0OxxxO0o**  
**

** - What Is A Youth?**

What is a youth? Impetuous fire.  
What is a maid? Ice and desire.  
The world wags on.

A rose will bloom  
It then will fade  
So does a youth.  
So do-o-o-oes the fairest maid.

Comes a time when one sweet smile  
Has its season for a while...Then love's in love with me.  
Some they think only to marry, Others will tease and tarry,  
Mine is the very best parry. Cupid he rules us all.  
Caper the cape, but sing me the song,  
Death will come soon to hush us along.  
Sweeter than honey and bitter as gall.  
Love is a task and it never will pall.  
Sweeter than honey...and bitter as gall  
Cupid he rules us all

A rose will bloom  
It then will fade  
So does a youth.  
So do-o-o-oes the fairest maid.

o0OxxxO0o

It was early in the morning, around four o'clock, the day after Voldemort returned. Harry slowly opened his eyes, and his vision was mostly blocked by long golden locks of hair. He remembered that this had not been an unusual occurrence since he'd known Daphne. Many times over the years, when he'd had to stay in the hospital wing over night, or for several days, he'd woken up with this very same witch in his arms.

Last night, after he'd only been asleep for an hour, he was rudely awakened by the shouts of the Minister for Magic. The idiot did not want to believe that Voldemort had returned, and implied that Harry was lying. The stupid man was posturing as he addressed Dumbledore, asking the old man if he was threatening the Minister.

Dumbledore calmly reminded the Minister that he was an elected official and was not above the law. Wand measuring would get you no where with the headmaster. Dumbledore stated in no uncertain term, that their paths had diverged, and that he will do what he must to prevent the dark lord from destroying magical Britain.

Fudge continued to bluster about before finally tossing Harry the triwizard winnings, and leaving. Dumbledore then spoke to Remus and told him to begin gathering the 'old crowd'.

Hermione had also made a racket as she slammed her hand into something by the window.

Daphne made Harry drink the rest of his potion so that he could get some rest.

Here he was now, looking at the girl he loved more than anything, or anyone else. She held on to him tightly, even in her sleep. He never actually saw her crying, but when he was woken up last night by all the shouting, he'd seen her eyes were red, and she seemed to be congested.

Harry moved his head slightly and kissed Daphne's forehead. This caused the sleeping girl to stir. She woke up slowly, and looked up at him, their faces only two or three inches apart.

Harry wanted to express to her how much she meant to him. How much he loved her. They shared a tender kiss, and as he pulled back, he said the first thing that came to his mind.

"Marry me?" he whispered.

Daphne's eyes widened before her face split into a smile that seemed to light up the darkened hospital wing.

"YES!" she whispered excitedly before she snogged him senseless.

Dobby silently popped in with a ring box and handed it to Harry. He'd told the little house elf to bring it to him should she ever accept his marriage proposal. He'd found it this past summer when he was allowed a quick look at his family's vault.

While he himself was not able to retrieve anything from the vault, his account manager could. Harry'd asked the manager if there were any rings in his vaults suitable for a marriage proposal. It had taken the goblin only minutes to return with a box of beautiful ring. As it so happened, the ring he felt was perfect for Daphne, had also been his mother's. It was simple enough with a single three quarter karat, brilliant cut diamond, and six tiny sapphires next to each other on either side of the diamond. The band itself was made of platinum.

Daphne had gushed, and shed a few tears when Harry gave her the ring.

The two teens fell asleep after some vigorous kissing and light petting. Both dreaming of their future as man and wife.

X x x x x x x

Daphne was the first to wake, three hours later. The sight before her caused her eyes to widen, and her face pale. She poked at Harry trying to wake him up, as she was currently held firmly in his arms. In front of her, were her parents, sister, Sirius, and the Headmaster.

Arianna, Sirius and Astoria had huge grins on their faces while the headmaster looked serine, and Samuel looked a bit green, but somehow smiling slightly.

Harry mumbled for a moment before opening his eyes. Daphne placed his glasses on his nose for him, and his eyes widened like Daphne's when he saw who was around his bed. He made no indication that he was going to let go of Daphne though.

"Excellent" said Dumbledore. "You're awake, and I believe Sirius, and Lord and Lady Greengrass wish to discuss something with you both."

The pair sat up, and Daphne sat next to Harry on the edge of the bed. Astoria suddenly squealed when she saw the beautiful engagement ring on Daphne's hand. Arianna gasped, as her husband and Sirius exchanged a look.

"Well." Samuel said. "It would appeared that the two of you may not object to what we need to talk to you about." He pulled out a flask and took a quick pull from it.

The two teens looked at Samuel, and waited for him to continue.

"Harry." Samuel began, "I have signed a marriage contract for Daphne."

Harry paled as Daphne gasped.

"Your godfather and I have been negotiating since last summer, but only recently put any serious thought into it."

Harry looked over at a grinning Sirius, and for one insane moment, thought that Daphne had been given to Sirius. That thought left his mind as quickly as it came when he realized that Daphne had in fact betrothed to him.

"When did you both sign it?" Harry asked.

"This morning." said Sirius, "After we worked out a dowry and a bride price just as formalities. Nothing major, but enough as not to be scoffed at by the rest of pure-blood society."

"We also ask, that if you have more than one son," Daphne and Harry blushed. "that you give him the last name Greengrass, as to continue our line." Samuel said. "As you can see, we were blessed with two beautiful daughters, but no sons."

"By doing this, the House of Greengrass is openly pledging it's allegiance with you Harry." Samuel continued. "It is also removing Daphne from the list of eligible witches. We will no longer have to worry about offers for her hand, as she is now your betrothed."

"I thought you had to wait until she was fifteen for that." Harry said.

"While it is traditional," Arianna broke in, "we decided to move ahead a little early to avoid any problems later."

'When the two of you are magically bonded in marriage, her magic itself and the magic of the bond will protect her from any…. unwanted advances.." said Samuel, looking a little upset at the thought of the evils a wizard can commit toward a witch.

'When will the wedding be?" Daphne asked.

"The day after your fifteenth birthday poppet." Samuel answered with an oddly proud smile. "By August tenth, you will be known as Daphne Potter."

Daphne suddenly jumped up, ran around the bed and hugged her parents fiercely. Sirius shook Harry's hand offering his congratulations.

"Stag party at my place!" said Sirius.

X x x x x x x x x x

A little over a week after Harry and Daphne were engaged to be married, the group was on the Hogwarts express bound for London. The mood was somewhat sombre but still the group was upbeat at the news that there would be a Gryffindor marrying a Slytherin before summer's end. Very few knew of the upcoming wedding. Only a few professors, and the pair's closest friends. Surprisingly, word had not gotten to the rest of the school.

Dumbledore and Sirius were going to meet Harry on the platform to escort him to the Dursley's. Dumbledore, to recharge the blood wards, and Sirius to 'Have a few words' with his relatives.

Hours later the group was on the platform exchanging goodbyes. Harry could see Dumbledore and Sirius standing discreetly out of ear shot as Harry said his goodbyes to Daphne.

"I'll miss you." Harry said.

"You'll see me in a week." she replied with a smile.

"Too long!" Harry mock whined. Daphne giggled at his antics.

"We'll both be fine." said Daphne. "I know I'm going to miss you like crazy, but it'll make being with you again all the better."

"I know." said Harry. "Doesn't make it any easier."

"Go on now." she said with a kiss. "They're waiting for you."

"Until later my love." Harry whispered into her ear. He kissed her deeply once more before he reluctantly let go and made his way toward the two wizards who were trying and failing to look nonchalant. Sirius was making a show of whistling and looking up at the ceiling. He pretended to be surprised when he saw Harry. "Oh Harry! Fancy meeting you here!" he said brightly.

"Shut up.." Harry mumbled, not quite keeping the smile off his face.

X x x x x x x

At the Dursley's home, as Dumbledore set to working charging the wards, Sirius had Harry's relatives petrified with fright in the living room.

"This your final warning Dursley." Sirius said in a low dangerous voice. "If I hear that you've mistreated Harry in any way. If I hear that you've not fed him properly, I will come back and teach you a lesson in how proper human beings are suppose to act."

Sirius glared at them coldly. "The only reason I haven't done anything to you yet is because my brave and noble godson has asked me not to. But mark my words Vernon. Lay a hand on him again, and I will show you real pain. I am not afraid of going back to prison."

The Dursleys were still unaware that Sirius was in fact innocent. Harry sat next to Sirius with a smug amused look on his face. At that moment, Dumbledore walked into the sitting room, looking wary, yet jovial, as if there weren't a mass murderer in the room. Which there wasn't, but the Dursleys didn't need to know that did they?

"Well," Dumbledore began, knowing quite well what Sirius had been up to. "I'm sure you've all had a very pleasant chat, but it is time for us to take our leave."

The old man looked at Harry. "I trust you will not get into too much trouble this week.?"

"No sir." said Harry. "I'll just be minding my own business while I'm here."

"Good, good." said Dumbledore. "Until next year Petunia. Sirius?"

Sirius rose form his seat, and gave the Dursleys one last murderous glare before following Dumbledore out the door. At the threshold, Harry and Sirius said their goodbyes before the two adult wizards apparated away.

The next few days were agonizingly slow. The only bright moments were when Harry received a letter from Daphne. His future wife. The thought alone would give Harry a pleasantly warm feeling in his stomach.

X x x x x x x x

On his last day at the Dursleys, Harry was sitting on a swing at the near by park. He was thinking of what his life would be like with Daphne after they finished school. Day dreams of a career as a professional Quidditch player, and seeing his unborn children off to Hogwarts drifted lazily across him mind and he gently swung back and forth on the swing.

Harry had gotten a letter from Sirius the day before telling that the wards had been beefed up at his manor in the lake country, as well as Greengrass manor. He didn't go into details, only that anyone who tried to assault the two properties would meet a very violent and painful, not to mention mess, end. Goblin warders were the best in the world for a reason.

Harry'd had a few nightmares this past week about Cedric's death. Each time he had woken up in a cold sweat, guilt eating away at him. His thoughts were interrupted by Dudley and his gang laughing stupidly at something one of them said.

"Look who it is." said Piers as they gang approached Harry. "It's pothead!"

Harry was already in a foul mood from lack of good sleep, the nightmares, and being away from Daphne. "Hey Big D." Harry said sarcastically 'Beat up another ten year old?"

"This one deserved it." Dudley said.

"Five against one." Harry said, "Very brave."

"Well you're one to talk." Dudley retorted. "Crying in your sleep every night. At least I'm not afraid of my pillow." the fat lard laughed, joined by his friends.

"Don't kill Cedric!" Dudley mocked. "Who's Cedric? Your boyfriend?"

"Shut up" Harry said in a low voice.

"He's going to kill me mum!" Dudley continued. 'Where is your mom Potter? She dead?" he finished with a laugh.

His friend "Ooh'ed " at this and laughed harder.

Harry lost his temper and rushed Dudley jabbing his wand harshly into Dudley's fat neck. Big D's gang only laughed at the sight of Harry threatening Dudley with a stick. They didn't see, however, the frightened look in Dudley's eyes, nor did they notice he had gone stock still.

Clouds began darkening the sky at an alarming rate, and the wind picked up. Dudley's friends were beginning to panic at the sudden change in weather.

'What are you doing?" Dudley asked in alarm.

"I'm not doing anything!" Harry said, equally scared.

Dudley's friends fucked off rather quickly, leaving their leader to fend for himself. He and Harry didn't stick around either and the to made a mad dash back to Number Four. As they ran, torrential rain began falling, soaking them both to the bone.

The pair had made it to the pedestrian underpass that allowed safe passage beneath the busy Magnolia Road when they both stopped to catch their breath. The temperature began to drop rapidly as puddled water at both ends of the path began to freeze. Harry knew from experience that signalled the approach of Dementors.

"Dudley! We have to move!" Harry shouted as he began to hear the faint cries of his mother in the back of his mind. The light seemed to fade away as he felt them draw closer. Dudley, in a panic, slugged Harry on the side of his face and demanded that he stop whatever he was doing, before making a break for the other end of the path.

As Harry got back to his feet, he was suddenly grabbed by the neck with a dead looking hand, and lifted into the air before being slammed into the wall behind him. The Dementor had him, and was bringing his face closer to Harry's, intent on delivering the Kiss.

Harry could hear Dudley slipping on the ice and falling to the ground. Acting on instinct, Harry quickly pulled his wand form his pocket, and jabbed the Dementor, were Harry assumed it's eyes would be if it had eyes. The creature dropped Harry, and he fell to the ground hard.

Pointing his wand at the Dementor before it could recover, Harry shouted "INCENDIO!" A powerful jet of fire erupted from his wand like the fires of hell, and set the Dementor ablaze. It's agonized shrieks could be heard as it retreated. Harry looked over at Dudley, and saw another Dementor leaning in toward Dudley, moments away from sucking his soul out.

Pointing his wand at the second foul creature, Harry cried out, "Expecto Patronum!" while thinking of Daphne accepting his proposal for marriage.

The effect was awe inspiring as a solid looking glowing stag burst forth and charged the Dementor before it could kill his cousin. White flame seemed to be trailing behind the solid looking stag, and it's impact with the Dementor was vicious.

The stag's antlers appeared to pierce though the Dementor as the Patronus pinned it to the concrete wall behind it, saving Harry's fat cousin in the process. The stag was relentless in its attack, as it twisted it's head back and forth, intent on killing the dark creature. Suddenly the Patronus paused before emitting a pulse of magic which caused it to loose cohesion, but also set the Dementor on fire.

When the intense flames died down, the stag was gone, and all that was left was a pile of wet ashes on the ground. Harry rushed over to Dudley, and attempted to help him up, when he heard the approach of something else.

Raising his wand to meet this new possible threat, he was surprised to see Mrs. Figg. He quickly hid his wand behind his back as she approached.

"Mrs. Figg?" Harry asked questioningly.

"Don't put away your wand Harry.' she said to him. "The other one might come back."

X x x x x x x x x

Harry was floored as he supported Dudley's weight. They were currently making their way down Privet Drive with Mrs. Figg explaining everything she'd wanted to tell him years before. How she wished she could have done more for Harry, but knew that if the Dursley's suspected him of enjoying himself, they'd likely never ask her to watch him again.

What's more, Mrs. Figg was actually a squib that had been sent to watch over Harry since he'd been placed in the Dursley's care. She'd been sent by Dumbledore.

"Dementors in Little Whinging. Whatever next?" she said. 'the whole world's gone topsy turvey." Mrs. Figg finished when they finally arrived at Number Four.

"Now get inside and stay there. I expect someone will be in touch soon. Whatever happens, don't leave the house." she said, giving Harry a light push toward the front door.

X x x x x x x x

Vernon Dursley was angry at the freak. He'd gone and done something to his son, who appeared to be on the brink of throwing up. He turned to the freak in question and ranted at him.

"Happy are we now, eh?" he said. "You've finally done it! You've finally driven him loopy!"

"Vernon!" Petunia hissed. 'Don't say that!"

Vernon scoffed at her. "Just look at him Petunia! Our boy's gone yumpy!"

Any further ranting was cut off by the arrival of an official looking owl. Taking the letter Harry read it only to find out that it was a notice of his expulsion from Hogwarts. It also informed him that Ministry officials would be there shortly to snap his wand.

"Justice!" Vernon hissed triumphantly.

X x x x x x x

Hours later, after having been informed by Dumbledore not to surrender his wand, Harry was waiting for Sirius's arrival so that he could finally be free of his relatives. He had been quick to act and informed the Ministry that they had no authority to expel Hogwarts students, so a hearing was scheduled the next week to decided whether or not to snap Harry's wand.

It was around nine o'clock when Sirius had finally arrived. He wasn't alone however. There were several others with him, including "Mad Eye" Moody and Remus Lupin. Sirius introduced a young woman with messy, almost spiked pink hair as his cousin Nymphadora Tonks, to which she scowled and threatened him. The other's were Dedalus Diggle, Kingsley Shaklebolt, Emmaline Vance, Hestia Jones, Elphias Doge and Sturgis Podmore.

The group took flight toward Black Manor in the Lake country on broomsticks. Tonks and Sirius stayed on Harry's flanks, while the rest circled around, watching for any threats.

As it turned out, there was also another group of witches and wizards in case the Advance Guard were to fail. It turned out to be unnecessary as the four hour flight, which would have been shorter if not for the paranoia of Moody, went off with out a hitch.

When the group arrived outside of the wards, Sirius had to key them each in after he showed Harry a piece of parchment revealing the location of the manor. The properties of the wards were such that he had to allow anyone not family, though the onto the property each time. Failure to do so would cost a would be visitor their life.

As they passed the wards, and walked toward the house, Sirius talked to Harry about Daphne. Apparently she'd been going spare since she learned that Harry had been attacked by Dementors.

As soon as Harry entered through the front door, he was accosted by Daphne and pulled into a tight hug. She then dragged him up the stairs, and into the room Sirius had given her, for whenever she stayed at the manor with Harry.

Closing and locking the door behind her, she shoved Harry into a sitting position on the edge of her bed before straddling his lap, and snogging him until he forgot where he was. It was an hour before they managed to take their hands off each other, though they'd yet to go farther than 'second base'. Not that Harry was complaining of course. She was going to be his wife soon.

As they lay next to each other on her bed, fully clothed and above the covers Daphne said. "Honestly Harry. How do all these things always happen to you?"

"Believe me love." Harry said. 'I wish I knew."

By the next day, the whole Weasley family had been moved into Black Manor or as Sirius had named it, the "Dog House". Mrs. Weasley gushed over Harry and Daphne and cried tears of joy at their upcoming nuptials, even though she believed they were a bit too young yet, she understood why.

X x x x x x x x

The day of Harry's hearing found the young man in courtroom ten, before the entire Wizangamot instead of the three person board that usually handled hearings of this type. It was fortunate that Sirius and Samuel had accompanied Harry for they weren't informed in the change of time and venue. Needless to say, they were both very angry at the underhanded tactics being used by Fudge. The minister called the court to order. He had been very surprised at the arrival of Lords Black and Greengrass.

"Disciplinary hearing of July fourteenth in to offences committed by one Harry James Potter, resident of Number Four Privet Drive, Little Whinging Surrey. Interrogators Cornelius Fudge Minister for Magic…" the minister was cut off by a forceful voice.

'Witness for the defence!" said Dumbledore as he entered the chamber behind Harry. 'Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore." he finished standing next to Harry. He gave Harry a wink.

"Y-You got our message that the time and place of the hearing had changed?" the Minister asked.

"I must have missed it." said Dumbledore with a smile. "But by a happy mistake, I arrived at the ministry three hours early."

Fudge's face began to turn red in anger an frustration.

"Charges?" Dumbledore asked casually.

"The charges against the accused are as follows:" the minister began in a superior voice. 'That he did knowingly, and in full awareness of the illegality of his actions produced both an Incendio spell and a Patronus Charm in the presence of muggle violating the statute of secrecy!"

"Do you deny these allegations?" the Minister asked Harry.

"No, but.." Harry tried to answer but was cut off by the minister.

"Where you aware that you were forbidden to use magic outside of school while under the age of seventeen?"

'Yes I was but.." again the minister cut him off.

"Witches and Wizards of the Wizengamot.."

"I did it in self defence. My cousin and I were attack by Dementors!' Harry shouted finally getting a word it. Sirius leaned over to Amelia Bones who was seated right next to him and whispered in her ear. She then spoke. "Dementors in Little Whinging?"

'That's very clever." the Minister cut across Madam Bones which annoyed her greatly. "Muggles can't see Dementors can they boy? That's very convenient."

'I'm not lying, I was.."

"Enough! I'm sorry to interrupt what I'm sure would have been a very well rehearsed story, but if you are unable to produce no witnesses of the event.."

"Pardon me Minister." Lord Greengrass said forcefully. "Bu tI would like to ask Mr. Potter a few questions regarding his actions."

"I don't think we have time for that Lord Greengrass…." The Minister tried to deny Samuel the chance.

"It is by the letter of the law that he be given a fair hearing Minister, and thus far I am disgusted at this travesty of justice that is taking place here!" Samuel nearly shouted.

Murmurs were heard all around.

"I second that Lord Greengrass be allowed to question the accused." said Sirius from his seat next to Amelia Bones. "It is the _law_ after all Minister, and none of us are above the _law are _we?"

Seeing that he was trapped, the Minister had no choice but to allow Lord Greengrass to ask a few questions. Samuel made a show of pulling out a folder and organizing a few pages of parchment (which were actually blank) before looking at Harry and asking his first question.

"As to the charge of violating the Statute of Secrecy Mr. Potter." Lord Greengrass began. "Said Muggle you preformed magic in front of. What is your relation to him?"

"He's my cousin." Harry answered. "I've lived with him since I was a year old."

"And was your cousin aware of magic before the day of the incident, July the tenth?"

"Yes." said Harry. "he's known about magic since Hagrid came to deliver my Hogwarts acceptance letter."

More murmurs were heard through out the chamber as Fudge's face was beginning to purple.

"Irrelevant!" Fudge shouted. 'He preformed underage magic and must be punished!"

"Minister." Madam Bones said. 'As I am sure you are aware, the _law _allows underage magic in the case of self defence. I'm sure you are aware of this?"

"There is no proof that Dementors were involved!" Fudge blustered.

'The I call for questioning under Veritaserum," said Sirius. "to verify the truth behind these events. It is after all, something I was denied before I was thrown into Azkaban so many years ago." he finished dramatically.

"There is no need! I.." said Fudge before being cut off by Madam Bones again.

"But Minister the law dictates that the accused be questioned under Veritaserum to prove his innocence or guilt. Surely you're not suggesting you are above the _law_, and capable of denying the accused his rights _are_ you?"

'_Oh they're good' _Harry thought. He looked over at Dumbledore, and could see the headmaster was enjoying this very much.

The Minister was once again trapped, and allowed the Aurors to administer three drops of the potion to Harry.

"What is your name?" Madam Bones asked.

"Harry James Potter."

"Why did you cast the Incendio, and Patronus Charms on July the Tenth?" she asked.

"To fight off a pair of Dementors Madam Bones. They had my cousin and I cornered in a pedestrian underpass on Magnolia Road."

Shouts of outrage echoed through out the chamber.

"One of them had me by the neck, but I managed to get free by stabbing it in the face with my wand, before I cast an Incendio at it setting it on fire. I saw the other was about to suck out my cousin's soul, so I cast the Patronus at it. My Patronus turned the Dementor into ash."

Silence reigned in the courtroom for a moment before many members of the Wizengamot were on their feet.

"Enough!" a short and fat woman, who looked like a toad shouted. "I call for an immediate vote! All those in favour of convicting Mr. Potter?" she said while raising her hand. Only she, Fudge and Lucius Malfoy raised their hands.

"All in favour of clearing the accused of all charges?" Madam Bones said while raising her hand. Other than the three idiots who voted for his conviction, everyone raised their hands.

Fudge looked furious as he looked around before banging his gavel. "Cleared of all charges." he said before storming out of the chamber.

Dumbledore turned to Harry and said. "I think you had better get back to the manor as quickly as possible. I will be there as soon as I can."

X x x x x x x x

The Ministry was on a merciless campaign against Dumbledore and Harry over the next few weeks. The Headmaster had been removed from every office, save his position at Hogwarts. He claimed not to care about any of it, as long as they didn't take him off the Chocolate Frog cards.

Fudge was also attempting to have Madam Bones removed from her position as Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, as well as have Sirius and Samuel removed from the Wizengamot. He'd had no luck thus far, as the names Black and Greengrass, supported by Augusta Longbottom (who sat in as proxy for Neville) carried a lot of weight behind them.

Two days before the wedding, and Harry was had his stag party at the 'Dog House' with the guys, while Daphne was had her 'Doe Party' or 'Hen Party', whatever you want to call it, at Greengrass manor with all of the girls.

All the males had been sworn to secrecy about the events of the night. Each and every one of them spent the entire next day hungover. Potions seemed to do little to help. As per tradition, Harry and Daphne had not seen each other since before their parties.

X x x x x x x

Today was the big day at Greengrass Manor. All of Harry's friends were in attendance. Next to him at the alter stood Neville, his best man. Tracy Davis was Daphne's maid of honour. Dumbledore would be performing the ceremony.

The strange thing though, is that Harry had heard of how nervous men were when they were about to be married. He didn't feel that at all, for he had no doubt in his mind, that this was the right decision to make.

What he was nervous about was tonight. They would be expected to consummate their marriage, and neither had any experience in that area. Even if Sirius had spent several hours showing Harry what went where using very embarrassing diagrams and pictures, as well as several adult movies. Most of which were seen again on his stag night. Only with fire whiskey and exotic dancers thrown into the mix.

Sirius had told him the trick was not to over think it. Just do what your body tell you to, and to take it slow, as it was Daphne's first time as well, and it was likely to hurt her for a bit. Thankfully he refrained from making the comparison that it was like riding a broom.

So there he was, standing at the alter in the pavilion in the Greengrass' beautiful garden (Neville had gone all out in preparing it as a gift to the couple), waiting for his bride.

The music began playing as the flower girls, Astoria and Ginny, walked down the aisle spreading white pedals as they approached. Behind them was Tracy Davis, looking lovely in her blue bride's maid gown as she took her place at the alter.

The wedding march began, and Harry turned to see the most beautiful sight he had ever seen in his short life. Walking down the aisle on her father's arm was Daphne. She wore a white strapless gown that flared out instead of billowing like most wedding dresses he had seen before. Pearls were elegantly embroidered into the bodice in floral patterns, as well as the short train behind her.

He was momentarily struck dumb by her beauty. Neville had to reach over and close Harry's mouth.

When she reached him she took his hand, and with out taking their eyes off each other, they breezed though the vows as the Ullieann Pipes and Penny Whistle played softly in the background.

"I know pronounce you, husband and wife." said Dumbledore with a teary smile. "You may kiss the bride."

When their lip met, the magical bond between them was sealed, and the light that emanated from the newly weds was almost blinding in it' intensity. Neither Harry nor Daphne were aware of this, as they were focused on their love for one another.

X x x x x x x(Queue "Secret Wedding" from the Braveheart OST)

When the night and festivities ended, Harry and Daphne made their way to the guest lake house at Greengrass manor. The same house where Daphne had spent much of her childhood, and each summer since attending Hogwarts.

He carried her into the house and up to her room over looking the lake before setting her down. He kissed her softly as she ran her fingers though his hair. They were both afraid, but sure.

"I love you my husband." Daphne whispered.

"I love you," Harry paused to smile. "My wife."

She drew him into a passionate kiss as she allowed him to slowly undress each other in turn. When her gown was pooled around her feet, she began to slowly remove Harry's robes, and soon they were both standing in their undergarments. She blushed as he looked over her lithe form before lifting her into his arms again, and carrying her to 'their' bed.

They kissed passionately for what seemed like hours, as Harry ran his hand over her body. Finally he touched her in a way she'd never been touched before. His hand drifted down to the heat between her legs. She gasped in pleasure as he caressed her, and she moved her hips with his hand, trying to feel more.

Harry pulled his hand up to the top of her sheer knickers, and pulled them down slowly, trailing kisses as he went. When they were off, he took a moment to look at her. She blushed, and felt self conscious, but allowed him to drink her body in with his eyes.

He moved himself over her, and kissed her, as she unconsciously wrapped her legs around the back of his legs, pulling him closer to her. She reached down to the waist band of his underwear and tugged them down, signalling for him to take them off, which he did. He moved himself back over her once he was fully undressed and she pulled him into a searing kiss, as he positioned himself at her entrance.

Her body was screaming. She was ready, and she nodded when he looked at her questioningly. Slowly he entered her, until he came across the barrier that was her virginity. He moved forward slowly, and she tensed slightly, breathing in quickly as her barrier broke. He sheathed himself entirely inside her, and waited. Her eyes were closed in slight pain, but not as much as she had expected. When she opened her eyes, after a few minutes, she once again wrapped her legs around the back of his, and urged him forward.

They moved awkwardly for a few moments, before their bodies responded to each other and were soon lost in rhythmic motions of passion and love. They worked themselves to climax soon there after, crying out each other's names.. At that moment, neither noticed a certain beautiful scarlet and gold phoenix with violet crest feathers flame into existence. They were too lost in each other….

X x x x x x x x x

Three hundred miles away in Riddle Manor, before almost all of his death eaters, Voldemort suddenly clutched his head and cried out in agony. "POTTER!" he screamed before he fell to the ground, unconscious…

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

Note: There you go. I do hope that was tasteful enough. I need a smoke now. Lol, jk. There they are. A newly married couple. Myrddin's old companion has also returned to his master. Umbitch is going to rue the day she crossed Mr. and Mrs. Potter. This took me hours to write, and I've got a headache now. Bleh...


	27. Post Coital Bliss and Toads

Chapter Twenty Six

**Post Coital Bliss and Toads.**

Daphne lay on her stomach, arms and legs splayed out, near the edge of their bed, the morning after the wedding covered by nothing more than a thin white sheet. Her head wasn't even resting on a pillow. Her hair fanned out around her as a cool morning breeze softly blew through the open French doors, causing their silken curtains to lightly billow. One lightly tanned leg exposed, uncovered by the thin sheet.

It was this breeze which caused her to finally stir in her sleep, waking her. Blinking her eyes sleepily, she turned her head to her right, and saw the bed was empty. Alarmed for a moment, she rolled over, bringing her arm up to her chest to keep herself covered by the sheet and protect her from the cool breeze.

She heard his voice drifting in through the open doors to her balcony. He was talking to someone, and she blushed and almost rushed to cover herself up better, when she heard the trilling of what sounded like a bird. Only the trilling was almost musical, and seemed to calm her.

"Harry?" she called out softly.

"Yes dear?" he said, walking back into the room.

"Who are you talking to?" she asked, as she pulled the sheet around her tighter.

"Mobius." Harry said. Daphne gave him a confused look, when a beautiful scarlet bird flew into the room and perched at the foot of the bed.

"A Phoenix." Daphne managed to breathe.

"I saw him sitting out on the balcony railing when I woke up." Harry said, sitting next to her on the bed. "He said he'd been waiting for my return, but more importantly, for our union."

"You mean he.." Daphne trailed off.

"Yeah, he was my companion in our other life." Harry answered her.

Daphne nodded in understanding, as they had spoken long over the subject of their dreams. They'd come to the realization that she had been the woman married to Myrddin.

Mobius flamed away just before Daphne stood up from the bed, letting the sheet fall from her body. She walked over to Harry's discarded dress shirt on the floor, conscious of his eyes roaming her body. She wasn't able to completely fight the blush that over came her as she pick the shirt up and put it on.

The newly weds sat down to their first breakfast together. An over extravagant meal prepared by their faithful house elf Dobby.

"I've been thinking Daphne," Harry said. "About last night…. We didn't use any kind of protection.." he tailed off.

Daphne smiled at him. "Don't worry. My mother took care of it before the wedding." she reassured

"She gave me a contraceptive potion when I was getting dressed." she elaborated when he looked at her questioningly. "It's good for sixty days. No worried love."

She thought back on the event.

_Daphne was standing in front of the full length mirror, only minutes away from walking down the aisle. She was expecting her parents to come back into the room, and her father to escort her down to the altar. _

_Astoria was lightly brushing imaginary lint off Daphne's almost unicorn white dress with a soft haired brush. Daphne couldn't remember her sister ever fussing over her so much as she had today._

_The door to the room opened, and Daphne turned to see only her mother. She was holding a small phial of light pink liquid._

"_You're going to want to drink this for tonight." Arianna said, handing the potion to Daphne. 'It's a contraceptive potion. It will prevent unwanted pregnancies for the next two months."_

"_I suppose you had dad wait outside the room so you could give this to me?" Daphne asked before uncorking the phial and drinking back the slightly citrus flavoured godsend. _

"_Of course dear." Arianna smirked. "As much as your father loves Harry, no father really wants to think about such things." she finished as she went back to the door to call Samuel in._

_Daphne's father walked into the room with a teary smile on his face. It was all Daphne could do not to cry._

"_My baby is grown up now." said Samuel. "So this is what every father feels when they know they aren't the most important man in their daughter life anymore." he finished with tears falling from his eyes as Daphne hugged her father tightly._

X x x x x x x x x

Harry and Daphne spent the next two and a half weeks alone at the lake house. While it wasn't exactly a honeymoon, though many such activities took place on every surface of the house imaginable, it gave them a change to begin to experience what it was like living together. Something they would need for the future since they were informed by Professor McGonagall that the two would be living in the Gryffindor married suites. They had chosen Gryffindor over Slytherin for obvious reasons. It was just safer that way.

The pair wasn't seen until three days before they were to leave for Hogwarts. Seeing them now, no one could ever deny they were made for each other. They just seemed perfect together.

Daphne's parents had been surprised by the arrival of Mobius in the middle of dinner their first day back. While they didn't go into specifics, Samuel and Arianna caught the implications of exactly when the Phoenix first appeared.

X x x x x x x x x

Three days earlier.

Dumbledore sat behind his desk, contemplating the events that had been taking place since August tenth. The potion master had informed him that Voldemort had taken quite ill on the night that Mr. and Mrs. Potter tied the knot, even loosing consciousness for several hours.

Severus had kept him apprised of the situation, and had told the headmaster that the dark lord had been in almost constant agony since the Potters were married. Voldemort would scream in pain as many as twelve times a day, on occasion blacking out. Thus far, nothing Riddle tried had any affect on his condition.

Dumbledore actually laughed himself silly at the implications and absurdity of it all. The most dangerous dark wizard had been rendered impotent because of the hormones of two lust crazed newlywed teens. Dumbledore was amazed as well. Twelve times a day? How in God's name would they have the strength to fight a war if they kept that up.

Yes, Dumbledore just sat back and laughed.

X x x x x x x

On September First, Harry and Daphne Potter sat side by side in the great hall as Dumbledore welcomed the students to a new school year. No one had seen Daphne's engagement and wedding rings until she'd walked into the great hall, hand in hand. Of course the gossip started in earnest, as the pair sat together at the Gryffindor table, until the headmaster called for the hall's attention.

Midway through his opening speech, however, the new Defence Against the Dark Arts professor interrupted Dumbledore. The woman was a short squat woman, who wore a hideous pink cardigan, She spoke in a false nauseatingly sweet voice. Her speech was actually causing Harry's eyes to droop as she carried o about this and that.

Hermione, who was sitting across from the married couple, made it clear that the Ministry was interfering at Hogwarts. They were going to have to try and keep a low profile this year.

Hermione and Neville had been named Gryffindor Prefects, and were tasked with leading the new first years, as Professor McGonagall showed Harry and Daphne to their new quarters. Their suite was located on the same level as the Head Boy/Girl's rooms. They were in a section of the level that had not been used since before the thirties.

After one final warning from McGonagall, the couple found themselves alone in their new suite. The sitting room was decorated in in both Slytherin and Gryffindor banners. What once would have been blasphemy, was now the norm. Their bedroom had a king sized four poster bed, and was decorated in Slytherin colours, while the fresher was in warmer Gryffindor red and gold.

When Harry walked out of the fresher, dressed for bed, he saw Daphne crawling across their bed seductively.

"I have need of you husband," she said in a husky voice looking back over her shoulder at Harry. He was all to happy to oblige.

That night, Voldemort once again fell to him knees screaming in pain. He'd gotten a three day reprieve, but it seemed that was at an end.

X x x x x x x x

The next morning, when Harry and Daphne made their way into the great hall, Daphne was accosted by squealing girls who wanted to see her rings. As they took their seats, Harry saw that he was receiving a murderous glare from Draco. Looking up at the staff table, he noticed Dumbledore was nowhere to be seen. He caught sight of the woman who'd been introduced as Professor Umbridge. She seemed to be scowling at the couple watching them closely.

Harry turned away and began loading his plate when heard a voice he was hoping to avoid.

"Who the hell do you think you are Potter?" Malfoy said, voice filled with malice.

He saw Daphne tense next to him, as the other Gryffindor girls on both sides of the table glared at the ferret faced ponce. Harry tried to ignore him.

Not getting the reaction he wanted, he targeted Daphne. "So Potter, when she spreads her legs for you, does she lay there like a dead fish?"

Daphne grabbed Harry's arm before he could surge to his feet and make Malfoy eat his teeth. The girls around them gasped in horror. Malfoy did not stop. He should have, but he didn't.

"So Greengrass." he addressed Daphne, even though she clearly no long went by her maiden name. "Were you opening your legs to Potter before you were married? You've actually tainted yourself with this half-blood's seed. You could have been with me, a respectable pure-blood, a real man. I'm sure Potter can't satisfy you. Even though you've dirtied yourself with the likes of him, I could still show you how a real how a real man pleasures a woman." he turned back to Harry and leaned in closer and whispered.

"Imagine that Potter. Your whore of a wife, writhing in ecstasy with me on top of her, pumping into her over and over…"

He never got any father as Harry broke free from Daphne's grasp an literally knocked Malfoy's teeth out of his mouth with one power, magic charged, punch.

The Malfoy heir crumpled to the ground in a boneless heap, as it took all of Daphne and Hermione's strength to restrain him.

"Mr. Potter!" Professor Umbridge said as she approached. "Detention tonight for assaulting another student!"

"I don't think so Professor." Daphne Potter said.

"What did you say to me you insolent little girl?" Umbridge nearly shouted.

"I said my husband will not be serving detention with you over this. Not tonight, or any other night." Daphne stood defiantly, almost nose to nose with Umbridge. "Draco Malfoy insulted the wife of Lord Potter, head of the Most Ancient and Noble House of Potter. Malfoy questioned my virtue, graphically described to my husband what he was going to do to me if he were to bed me, and offered me an invitation to enter into an adulterous relationship." many in the great hall gasped at this.

"By the old Laws of Honour, my husband would have had every right to kill Malfoy where he stood. He let him off easy by knocking his teeth out."

Umbridge looked about ready to foam at the mouth when she stormed off. No one messes with Daphne Potter. To her surprise, Professor Snape did not even rise from his seat to discipline Harry. The greasy haired Professor merely sat in his chair and continued eating is breakfast. Daphne could swear he had a light smirk on his face.


	28. The First Class, Detentions, And Revenge

Note: I've made a change to the wedding chapter, and Added the Lyrics to the song "What Is A Youth?" from the 1968 film adaptation of Romeo and Juliet. The best version in my opinion. I thought it was appropriate for the subject matter of the chapter. To get into the proper mood, I suggest finding the song on you tube and watching it, and re-read the chapter. If I had decided to make Daphne a brunette, I'd have pictured her as Olivia Hussey's Juliet. Now on with the show!

Chapter Twenty Seven.

**The First Class, Detentions, And Revenge**

In the 'Dog House', Sirius and Samuel were currently piss drunk three days after they saw the kids off to school. They began the evening discussing the situation at the Ministry, and at Hogwarts. Things did not bode well for those fighting against Voldemort, and Fudge was still trying to have them blocked at every turn.

Unfortunately, for the Minister, the number of votes held by the houses of Black, Potter (which Sirius was sitting in as Proxy), Greengrass, Longbottom, and Bones had enough influence and votes to keep them from loosing their seats. They were also hereditary chairs, and by their own pure-blood laws, cannot be taken away easily, if at all.

"I s-sent *hic* my daughter a letter the day they *hic* left." Samuel said drunkenly. "I told her about the new defence proffssrrrr *belch*. The woman is one of the most vile *hic* blood superemisssss.. I've ever had the disssplesure o-o-of *hic*meeting.."

Sirius let out a low growl kind of sound. The thought of blood supremacy made him think of his stupid mother. He hoped Harry could keep his head down, because there was little, if anything they could do to help him with all of the powers the Minister was granting the toad faced bitch.

" I juss hope Harry can keep hish head down," Said Sirius equally inebriated. "But hopefully Daphffnee, *hic* can help keep his temper in check."

"I still c-cant believe my little *hic* baby is a married woman." Samuel said with a bit of sadness. "But it was frrr the bess. I'd have r-rather killed mys-self than hand her over to Malfoy." he spat the last word before he finally passed out at the kitchen table. Sirius was not long behind him, but he ended up on the floor.

X x x x x x x

The four friends were sitting with the rest of the Gryffindor and Slytherin fifth years in their first Defence Against the Dark Arts class. Currently they were all mostly chatting amicably, waiting for their new professor.

Harry stared at their books in wonder. _'Defence Against The Dark Arts: A Return to Basic Principles' _. He looked at Daphne seated next to him questioningly to which she only shrugged. He flipped through it's pages, and found that his mind was already starting to go numb. _'This is going to be as bad as Binns' class' _he thought.

The class didn't have to wait much longer. Professor Umbridge walked into the room with a disgustingly fake smile. The classed remained quiet as she walked up toward her desk, as the Professor was still a largely unknown to them. The woman paid the class no heed as she sat at her desk and said. "Books out, and wands away." The class groaned in unison, as the command 'wands away' was never a sign of an interesting class.

"Tut, tut, that won't do." Professor Umbridge say. Harry and Neville looked at each other in mild revulsion. The woman then spent the next ten minutes rambling on about how their instruction over the previous years had been found deficient, and how it would be corrected now that they would be learning via a Ministry approved syllabus.

"Ah, yes now I want everyone to read the prefix and chapter one for today," Umbridge said finishing her introductory speech. The class sullenly opened their books and began reading.

Hermione had raised her hand and Harry noticed that Umbridge was determinedly not looking at her. The rest of the class soon joined them in watching Hermione's silent struggle to get Umbridge to call upon her. It was a full ten minutes before the Professor finally acknowledged her.

"Do you have a question about the chapter, Miss?"

"Granger, ma'am. Hermione Granger and no I don't. I have a…" Hermione answered, but was interrupted.

"We are reading the chapter now, Miss Granger," Umbridge curtly said.

"But I have a question about your course aims," pleaded Hermione.

Umbridge's face changed to suspicion and slight annoyance as she answered, "You do? They seem quite simple to me."

"Yes, ma'am. It's just that they don't say that we will actually be practicing any defensive magic," Hermione's answer seem to irritate Umbridge and stun the rest of the class who were now examining the course aims with suspicion.

"You will have no reason to use defence spells in my class. You are not going to be attacked in this classroom," said Umbridge.

"You're kidding," blurted Neville.

Umbridge turned her head to look at Neville who stared defiantly back, "You must raise your hand in my class if you are going to speak, Mr.?"

"Longbottom," Neville said has he stabbed his hand into the air. "We aren't worried about being attacked in class. We're worried about being sent out into the real world without the means to protect ourselves."

"No on one is going to attack you." Umbridge said, beginning more and more agitated. "You have been told, that a certain dark wizard is at large, once again. This is a lie. There are no Dark Wizards, and all of you-know-who's followers are safely locked up in Azkaban."

She/It turned away from him only to be confronted with half the class' hands up. Much to her visible annoyance. "Yes, miss?"

"Pavarti Patil, aren't we going to practice any magic. There's a practical portion on our O.W.L.s after all."

"So long as you learn and study the theory you will do fine on your exams," Umbridge said testily.

"You mean the first time we use a spell will be at an exam?" asked a shocked Dean Thomas.

"Hand! It should not be a problem as long as you know the theory," Umbridge repeated to the shocked class. "I understand that some of your past professors have led you to think that using defensive magic is necessary, but this is not the case. I hear your past professor actually used them on you…"

She paused and shook her head in false sorrow before she continued.

"Yes, and then there was that dark creature…" she was interrupted.

"Professor Lupin is not a dark creature," Harry's voice held a note a steel in it as he unconsciously pulled his wand out.

"Hmph," Umbridge replied in a superior tone, "Half-breeds have no place teaching."

Daphne's eyes narrowed in dislike for the toad in a pink cardigan, "Professor Lupin was the best professor we've had." Harry could feel Daphne's irritation as she locked eyes with Umbridge.

"Yes, well the only professor you've had that has followed the proscribed Ministry guidelines was Professor Quirrell." The class could not believe what they had just heard.

"Are you barking mad?" he said without thinking, voicing the thoughts of the rest of the befuddled class.

"Hand," Umbridge's eyes narrowed as she looked at him, "Mr. Potter."

Harry had had enough and continued, although he did raise his hand, "Yeah, Quirrell was brilliant except for the drawback of having Lord Voldemort sticking out the back of his stupid stuttering head."

Silence reigned and he felt of jolt of satisfaction as Umbitch.. erm.. Umbridge flinched at the name, but she soon recovered, "Detention tonight, Mr. Potter, for spreading nasty lies. Professor Quirrell had an unfortunate mishap that led to his death. You-know-who is not alive nor has ever been to this school."

Both Harry and Daphne snorted, but Daphne's was louder. "Yes, Miss Greengrass, do you have something to add?"

"It's Mrs. Potter to you Professor," Daphne practically growled. "and they're not lies. Voldemort was once a student at his school. He went by the name of Tom Marvolo Riddle fifty years ago. A half-blood himself who couldn't handle the fact that his father was a muggle. He is nothing more than a cry-baby who never got a hug as a child."

Umbridge flinched again at the name, as murmurs broke out through the class, but nastily smiled at Daphne, "Detention for a week for spreading lies, and do not say you-know-who's name." Harry stifled a scream which caused him to sound like an angry dog.

Daphne changed her entire demeanour into the 'Ice Queen' before continuing.

"Why?" The temperature seemed to drop several degrees at that moment.

Only Harry, Hermione and Neville knew that there was trouble when Daphne took that particular tone. Neville was currently pushing his and Hermione's desk backwards with his outstretched legs trying to move as far away from Daphne and Umbridge as possible, as Harry leaned away from her slightly.

"Why what?" said a flustered Umbridge.

"Why can't we say the name, _professor_?" said Daphne.

"That is enough! How dare you say such things you little trollop…"

"Watch your mouth," said a calm, commanding voice. Even Harry did not recognize it as his own voice as Umbridge took a step backwards.

"You will not speak to her in such a fashion." The other students were now unconsciously leaning away from Harry as he had unknowingly stood up to face the stupid toad.

Umbridge took another step backwards before she realized what she was doing, "Ah, yes…hum…" things clearly had not gone how she had planned. "Let me reiterate," her voice took on the quality of a long rehearsed speech like during the Welcoming Feast, "the Ministry of Magic assures you that You-Know-Who has not returned…"

"And I supposed Cedric Diggory dropped dead of his own accord then?" Harry said, causing the class to gasp.

Umbridge gave him another nasty smile and then bent over her desk writing something before handing him a sealed scroll. "Take this to Professor McGonagall. Leave. Now."

Harry glared at her one last time and then left. Daphne did not say anything, as her eyes remained ice cold. Her temper had already past angry and had settled on revenge. For the rest of the class her eyes followed Umbridge as she decided the best ways to make the toad's life a living hell.

Meanwhile, Harry stomped his way down the hallways toward Professor McGonagall's classroom. He thought of several ways to get his revenge on Umbitch, and an evil smile had made it's way onto his face as he reached McGonagall's classroom door and knocked.

"Mr. Potter, what are you doing out of class?" said a stern voice Harry immediately recognized. He looked at her and held out the scroll. McGonagall's frown deepened as she read it. With a sigh, she led him to her office. It was not until the next class was about to begin was he allowed to leave. Harry did not notice Professor Dumbledore standing in the hallway's darkened corner as he left.

X x x x x x x x

"Oh, hello Albus. I wasn't expecting you," McGonagall said as she pored herself a cup of tea.

"Today has been most entertaining morning. But, I'm afraid I have some bad news. Dolores will begin _inspecting_," he spat, "professors within a week or two. I don't know how long it will be until she forces me out."

"Oh, Albus. Surely, she can't force you to give up being headmaster," pleaded McGonagall.

"Forced out of Hogwarts yes, but not as headmaster," explained Dumbledore, "But we do have some time. Fudge has granted her widespread powers. I expect them to be announced within the next couple of weeks. But let us move on to a lighter topic. Did you have a nice talk with young Harry?"

McGonagall sighed, "He needs to be more careful around that hag. He received two weeks worth of detention in one day!"

Dumbledore chuckled, "Yes, he does, but youth and impetuousness often go together. However, you should have seen him in class!" Not even Dumbledore could keep the wonder and amazement out of his voice.

"What do you mean?" asked an interested McGonagall, "and what were you doing in that class?"

With a small mischievous smile on his face, Dumbledore said, "You did not think I was going to miss Dolores' first class did you? But back to Harry, when she insulted Mrs. Potter his aura flared. I've never seen anything like it before, not even when I was training him…He is becoming much more powerful," Dumbledore ended simply.

"And Mrs. Potter?" the Scotswoman asked in genuine curiosity. As an educator she'd never admit it, but the pair were her favourite students.

"Is not to be underestimated. She is very powerful in her own right. I believe she may already easily out class you in terms of raw power, Minerva." McGonagall's eyebrows rose, but she did not comment.

X x x x x x x x

Harry was in a foul mood the next day as he made his way to Umbridge's office for his first detention. He'd just gotten into a shouting match with the new Quidditch Captain, Angelina Johnson about the two weeks of detention. It wasn't as if he _wanted_ to be in detention. In the end he'd told her where to get off and that he'd be there when he can.

As Harry entered Umbridge's office, he shivered with disgust. Pink, lace and kittens were everywhere.

"Good evening, Mr. Potter," the voice made Harry jump and he looked around for it. Professor Umbridge was waiting for him with a quill and piece of parchment sitting on her desk. She gestured to it and then to the uncomfortable looking chair besides her desk. Harry took the hint and sat down. "You will be doing lines," she said silkily and Harry shrugged; lines were not so bad.

"You will write, 'I will not tell lies,'" she smiled at him.

"How many lines Professor?" Harry asked.

She smiled at him, an odd glint in her eyes. 'Until it makes…. an impression."

Harry nodded and barely stopped himself from retorting. As he took the quill he realized he was missing ink.

"Professor, I don't have any ink." Harry said as he turned to look at her in confusion.

"It won't be necessary."

Harry looked at her smile with worry and then returned to the blank piece of parchment. The moment he touched the quill to parchment he knew something was wrong. He started to write the first word and gasped. The quill was carving the line into the back of his hand and on the parchment was red ink….it only took him a moment to realize that it was not ink, but blood. _HIS BLOOD!_

He dropped the quill and looked at Professor Umbridge in disbelief. She was using an illegal means of torture on a student. Blood-quills were outlawed for everything but signing magical contracts.

She stood in front of him, and looked down with fake concern. Harry could tell she was actually enjoying the fact that she was causing him pain. _'She's a sadist.' _he thought. Besides that, if he saw this detention through just to prove a point, Daphne would have his head when he got back to their suite.

"Yes?" she asked. 'Why aren't you writing?"

"Because I don't have to." Harry said defiantly.

Umbridge's eyes widened in surprise for a moment before she said. "Oh but you do you arrogant boy. Now finish your lines."

Harry rose to his feet, standing all of his now six feet in height, towering over the stupid cunt who was a mere four-eleven.

"No. You cannot use a blood quill as punishment." He said. "They're illegal except for signing magical contracts, and even then, in the most extreme cases. If you insist on using it, then I want to see Dumbledore, or if you wish, I can challenge you to an honour duel for the attempted torture of the head of an ancient and noble house. Your call professor."

Umbridge's face purpled in fury, and she looked like she was moments from having an epileptic episode., "Well, I never!"

'_Maybe that's your problem.' _Harry thought suppressing a shudder. _'Then again, who'd want to?'_

"Leave my sight!" she spat. 'You will serve detention with Mr. Filch for the next two weeks!"

Harry held back a smile until the door to her office closed behind him.

X x x x x x x x

Daphne paced in front of the fire in the Gryffindor common. "That woman is going to pay." she fumed. Most Gryffindors had found that their famous courage had fled them in the face of one very angry Slytherin girl.

Daphne was being watched by Harry, Hermione, Neville, Astoria and Ginny as she vented her anger. Harry was rubbing Essence of Murtlap into his wounds. They were light compared to what they would have been had he stayed.

The girls had been horrified when Harry returned to the tower and informed them of what the toad had tried to do. Neville' jaw was set in determination as he stared into the fire.

"I'm going to turn her into a real toad and then feed her to Hedwig." Daphne said fiercely.

"Hear hear!" Astoria agreed.

Fred and George, who were currently counting their take for the day after selling 'Skiving Snack Boxes', much to Hermione's annoyance, perked up when they over heard Daphne promising pain for the vile woman. They sauntered over and each put an arm around Daphne's shoulders, effectively stopping her pacing. She looked up at them with a scowl.

"We heard that our favourite half Gryffindor-Slytherin…" began Fred.

"is planning some mayhem on our favourite toad." said George.

"Perhaps we can be of service."

"A potion?"

"A powder?"

'What ever you need." they finished together.

Daphne, tired of turning her head back and forth to look at them, broke free of their grasp. Harry was chuckling to himself at their antics which earned a small glare from his wife.

"You two can really come up with a powder to transfigure her into a toad?" Daphne asked with suspicion. She could have done it herself, but it would be much easier to delegate tasks to others as she came up with more ideas for revenge.

"Absolutely!" said Fred.

'Just give us a fortnight.." said George.

"And we'll have everything you need.."

"Okay." Daphne said. "I'm going to need something like the prank Harry and I played on you two back in second year. A powder that will turn her into a toad on contact as a catalyst. We'll need to get her to ingest a potion of sorts as the primer."

"No problem oh Slytherin Queen of Gryffindor!" they both said eagerly as they dashed up to their dorm room.

The friends laughed at their enthusiasm.

"How about placing a charm on her that causes the quills to cut into her hand every time she uses one?" Hermione said. Everyone turned to her in utter shock.

"What?" she said in a haughty voice. "That woman is vile and needs a taste of her own medicine. She wants to be a sick child torturing sadist, so we shall respond in kind."

Neville did something that surprised them all. He hugged Hermione and placed a firm kiss on her lips. The rest of the group were shocked for a moment before smiling widely.

Neville began to stammer when he pulled back and realized what he'd done. He looked horrified and mumbled an apology and made a break for it. He'd only gotten a few steps away when he was stopped by Hermione's hand on his arm.

She whispered in his ear, and he blushed, but nodded. Hermione turned back to the group and said, "I'm sorry to cut this short, but if you'll excuse us, Neville and I have a great many things to talk about."

With that, she lead him to the far side of the common room, into one of the windowed alcoves. Astoria and Ginny began giggling madly, as Daphne sat on Harry's lap and wrapped her arms around him. She leaned in close so that only he could hear her.

She whispered. "Come husband. Let's go to bed. I need to work off some of this aggression."

Harry looked startled for a moment before he smiled at her. He didn't let her stand up, as he simply stood up with her in his arms, and carried her up the stairs to their quarters. The two younger Gryffindors cat calling and howling with laughter at Harry's retreating back.

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Note: Once again I was flamed by someone who claimed my Dragon scene was nothing but cruel, and accused me of staying to close to canon. Okay, what those of you who are of this opinion need to get through your thick heads is, when things are the same, it's because when the deck is stacked against you so heavily no matter what you do, things will happen a certain way. Secondly, I used certain scenes to build my characters up, and then branched out.

I also wanted something that was much more realistic than most fics I have read. Some of you seem to think that Harry making ONE thing different, would affect everything. It would not. Or the simple reason that Voldemort has planned this for over a decade. Do you think Harry doing one thing different, is going to change things THAT much? No! Of course not.

Many of you may not believe it, but most things are fated to happen. I was TRYING to create something with much more realism in the outcome of events than most other works out there. Not another one of these "oh Harry goes to the bank, finds out he has infinity galleons, heir to a dozen legendary witches and wizards, and suddenly becomes all powerful and confident because he found his "soul mate" when he was just your average scare teenager days before."

That's not something that would actually happen. It's fun to read the first couple of times, but then it gets old after the next ten or twenty. The certain person who flamed me, left three comment on three different chapters, before finally saying they were done with my fic. I was a bit insulted because they seem like the kind of anal douche who just goes around bitching at others when they themselves have no talent with the written word.

If you don't like my writing, please send me a PM, don't be an asshole and put it in the reviews.

That said, I'd like to thank all my other, much more intelligent, readers who seemed to be able to appreciate that I am trying to accomplish with the subtlety in this fic. I thank you all once again with your support.

To those of you who enjoy my little hobby, "Live Long and Prosper."


	29. Dumbledore's Army

Note: Lemon Warning!

Chapter Twenty Eight

**Dumbledore's Army**

It had been a week since Umbridge's attempt at torturing Harry with a blood quill, and she had been appointed 'High Inquisitor' of Hogwarts the day before. The group sat at Gryffindor table at breakfast waiting for their target to arrive. Neville had come up with an easier prank to play on the woman, as the complete transfiguration into a toad would take a little more time to set up.

The group surreptitiously watched as Professor Umbridge sat at her seat for breakfast, triggering the charms on her seat. As she took a bite of food, it triggered the second part of the prank.

Suddenly, a large croak echoed through the hall, and every head turned toward the head table in confusion. Umbridge was holding her hands over her mouth, looking horrified. That was the twin's queue(Who were hiding near the staff table under Harry's cloak) to release the large jar of flies into the hall.

The compulsion charms on Umbridge's seat caused her to want to eat the fats flies that were, suspiciously, circling only her. The powder that had been mixed into her food, caused her tongue to elongate like that of a real frog or toad.

Umbridge jumped onto the table and her tongue began snapping up as many flies as she could, much to the delight of most students, many of whom had already had to serve the same type of detention with her that Harry almost did. All of whom, had been Muggleborn.

It was a disgusting thing for her to do. She avoided handing out such a punishment to Purebloods, as they were likely know exactly what a blood quill was. Muggleborns on the other hand, would not as they weren't raised in the magical world, and had no parents to teach them the Customs and laws of their new world.

Harry could see Dumbledore's eyes twinkling madly as Professor Flitwick fell out of his chair in laughter. Professor McGonagall tried to put a stern look on her face, but couldn't quite manage it. Even Snape looked and Umbridge and smirked.

Umbridge was hopping up and down on all four limbs an her part of the staff table, croaking loudly, and successfully catching dozens of flies. Nothing could be heard in the great hall other than laughing and her loud croaks.

Defence classes were cancelled for the rest of the day.

X x x x x x x

Hermione had pestered Harry for the next three weeks about teaching them defence, since he was taught by Dumbledore. Each time he'd refused, until finally, a few days before their first Hogsmeade weekend, he agreed.

Harry was waiting in the Gryffindor common room for Daphne to finished getting ready on the morning of their first Hogsmeade visit as a married couple. He was mostly looking forward to it, except for the fact that he'd be meeting with a group of students who wanted him to teach them.

As he sat impatiently on his favourite chair in front of the fire, he thought back on the successful prank they'd pulled on Umbridge in her own classroom, turning her into a toad.

_Harry and Daphne sat in their usual seats, waiting anxiously for their idiot Professor to arrive. The night before the pair had snuck into her classroom and left a very light dusting of the catalyst powder all over her desk, and chair._

_At breakfast, they watched with hidden glee as she ate her spiked breakfast, and were now trying their hardest to look disinterested and bored. _

_Umbridge entered the room from her office and gave them all her trademark ugly smile. She walked over to her desk, and the four friends were leaning forward slightly as Umbridge's fat arse sat on her seat. As soon as her skin came in contact with the top of her desk, there was a loud bang, and she disappeared behind a large cloud of green smoke._

_Every other student looked at each other in confusion, until another loud croak was heard, and the smoke finally dissipated. There, sitting on a large lily pad that had once been her desk, was a toad wearing a miniature pink cardigan._

_The class immediately broke into peels of laughter as the toad croaked angrily. Her angry croaks did nothing more than set the class laughing harder, and soon they were ignoring the hideous toad, and spent the rest of their double class period, chatting away._

Harry smiled at the memory. Umbridge had been relentless in deducting points from him, but seemed avoid taking any points from Daphne. She would often get a frightened look on her face whenever she thought of punishing Mrs. Potter, but would punish Harry instead.

The sound of a throat being softly cleared broke him from his thoughts, and he turned to see his wife standing next to him with a smirk on her face.

"Knut for your thoughts?" she asked with a smile.

"I was just thinking back on the pranks that have been played on that stupid cow." he said, standing to take her in his arms.

She was wearing a short denim skirt that had a slightly frayed hem, a dark blue top with delicate straps that showed a modest amount of cleavage, and a pair of black suede kitten heeled pumps. She had very little makeup, and wore her straight silky hair down. She had gone all muggle today, and Harry found himself reacting a bit as eh drew her into a kiss.

"How about we skip Hogsmeade today?" Harry asked as he broke the kiss.

"As much as I'd like that, we can't" she sighed. "We have things to do today."

"Well aren't you going to be cold in that skirt?" Harry said, looking down at her legs.

"Warming charms love." Daphne said as she took his hand and lead him out of the common room. "I wanted to look good for you today."

"Well, you've succeeded in that," Harry said, looking at her bum. "You look absolutely delicious. I don't know how I'll keep my hands off you."

"Who says you have to?" Daphne said, giving him a saucy smile.

The young couple spent an enjoyable time at Hogsmeade, visiting various shops. They were currently in Gladrags as Daphne did a bit of browsing. There weren't many people there, maybe a hand full at the most.

She could see him getting more and more tense throughout the day, and she finally made up her mind and pulled him into a dressing room before locking the door and falling to her knees in front of him.

"What are you.. Oh…." Harry tried to say before he found his jeans opened and his man hood quickly enveloped in the soft warmth of Daphne's mouth.

His eyes rolled to the back of his head as he gasped. His hips instinctively pushed forward slightly, as he leaned against the wall for support. He could feel himself building, until he couldn't take it any more. He never knew she could be such a sex kitten when t came to him, and had to have her now.

It took monumental effort on his part, to pull away from her. She looked up at him questioningly for a second before he pulled her to her feet and pinned her to the wall he'd just been leaning on. His tall form stood imposingly over her as she was only five feet four inches tall as she gave him the most hungry, almost vulnerable look he'd ever seen form her.

He kissed her fiercely as he lifted her left leg off the ground. She automatically wrapped both legs around him as he lifted her off her feet. She was already grinding herself on his exposed manhood, her skirt ridding up.

Reaching down, Harry pulled her wet knickers to one side, and impaled her with his rock hard member. She let out a gasp, but it was muted as their lips were still battling for domination.

They both began working themselves into a frenzy, but they managed to stay very quiet with only minimal heavy breathing. Daphne had to bite on Harry's shoulder to keep from shouting out at several points.

They could both feel their climaxes coming quickly, and Daphne bit Harry's shoulder hard and let out a small squeak as her body began to shudder from her release. Harry let out a muted grunt into her sweet smelling hair as he spilled himself deep inside of her.

They stayed that way for several long moments, breathing heavily. Finally when they'd both recovered enough, Daphne looked into Harry's eye and gave him a tender kiss.

"Feel better now?" Daphne whispered.

"Much better." Harry replied, bringing their foreheads together. "Thank you."

When the couple straightened themselves out, Daphne carefully opened the door to the dressing room, and made sure the coast was clear before quickly dragging Harry out of the store to the Hog's Head Inn.

They were a few minutes late, and Hermione look at them in suspicion, but said nothing. Fred and George nudged each other and gave Harry a thumbs up which caused the raven haired boy to blush. A Ravenclaw boy by the name of Corner was asking about information on Diggory's death until Astoria lit into him and the boy shut up. In all, thirty-five people joined what Ginny named, 'Dumbledore's Army', including Ron, surprisingly.

Daphne took Harry back to the Castle immediately after to show him how proud she was of him. They weren't seen until lunch the next day. When they finally emerged from their quarters, there was a notice of a new Educational Degree, number twenty three, dissolving all student organizations of more than three students.

X x x x x x x

Dumbledore's Army met for the first time in the Room of Requirement on Wednesday immediately following Umbridge's decree. Harry had been furious when Hedwig was attacked as she carried a letters from Sirius and Samuel, and vowed revenge of the stupid toad. He'd had Dobby place disillusioned long thorn cacti on all of Umbridge's chairs. The horrid woman couldn't sit straight all of Tuesday.

He as even angrier when Dobby told him that Umbridge ordered the house elves of Hogwarts to punish themselves more severally. After the first meeting of Dumbledore's Army was over, Harry and Neville hid under Harry's cloak and charmed the suits of armour much in the same way Harry had in his second and third yea, only this time they would take a page out of Sir Cadogan's book, and challenge her to duels. If she refused, they'd chase her around the school.

By week's end she blasted apart no less that twelve suits of armour, much to the annoyance of Filch. If a suite even do much a squeaked from temperature change, she'd scream and blow it away.

October slowly changed to November quietly and it was time for Gryffindor to Play Slytherin. Ron had been the only one to manage to try out successfully for the vacant Keeper's position. Gryffindor won only with Harry's catch, and their Chaser's brilliant performance, but Slytherin, being their usual selves, got a cheap shot in on Harry. A Bludger caught Harry square in the back. He was in a bit of pain as Daphne raced out onto the pitch with Madam Pomfrey.

As Daphne helped him to his feet when he convinced the nurse that he was alright, just a bit sore as the Slytherins were chanting a song about "Weasley is our king!".

"It was that thug Crabbe." said Angelina angrily. "He whacked the Bludger at you right when you caught the snitch."

"Like our song Potter?" Draco said from behind them. "WE were trying to add another verse you see. But we couldn't find anything that rhymed for that slut you call a wife."

Harry's blood began to boil.

"She's probably going t be like that slag the Weasleys call a mother." Draco continued. "Pumping out more kids than you can feed."

Harry, Fred and George rushed Malfoy and beat him senseless. Umbridge tried to ban them from Quidditch for life, but when Daphne proclaimed that the Malfoy scion had once again insulted her, Umbridge changed her tactic and banned them for rough play during the game, and confiscated their brooms.

The bitch kept digging her own grave deeper and deeper. Now all of Gryffindor was declaring war on the toad.

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Note: I'm going to stop here because I don't feel well…. There are similarities to another story. The reason being is that Intromit got most of his dialogue directly from the book, as I have in the past. I even spoke to him about it three years ago when he was still updating, to use a thing or two when I had an idea, mostly the pranks, but never followed through with it. I was even part of his yahoo group until it was abandoned…. This story was an entirely new idea. Sadly it's been over two years since his story has seen a new chapter. L

It had actually been that long since I've reread the work, and it was almost subconscious when I wrote it out. Remember, like me, he got most of his stuff straight from the books, so I don't want to hear any nonsense about stealing. I did not. I just forgot to mention it because I was in such a pissy mood about today and tomorrow that it slipped my mind, I was also already feeling sick, both from dread, and my Crohn's Disease….

I used the scene where Harry confronts Umbitch in the class, as it is exactly what I'd have done. There is a bit of us in each story we write. The meeting with Dumbledore and McGonagall was to put her mind at ease. That Harry could take care of himself and his wife.

On another note, I'm having to drink three litres of this salt water stuff as I have a very unpleasant procedure tomorrow….. FML!


	30. Christmas, Family to Come, and the DA

Chapter Twenty Nine

**Christmas, Family to Come, and the D.A.**

November had rolled into December, and with it came the relentless snows of the North, and an avalanche of homework that came with an OWL year. The D.A. had been meeting successfully for over a month now, thanks to an ingenious bit of spell work by Hermione. By use of the Protean Charm.

Tonight had been their last D.A. meeting of the term, and he was looking forward to Christmas with Daphne and his friends. He and his wife were asleep, cuddled together on and under thick blankets on the rug in front of the hearth where a fire crackled happily.

Harry was dreaming of holding a little blond haired girl, who seemed no more then four years old, while bouncing her on his knee, as twin raven haired boys played at his feet in front of a large Christmas Tree. Wrapping paper and open boxes littered the ground around Harry and the children.

Harry looks up to his right and sees a woman, who looks like an older version of Daphne carrying a tray of tea and biscuits to the coffee table before joining Harry on the couch. He notices she is also in what would appear to be an early pregnancy. They share a smile, but then suddenly, the dream changes.

He is sliding along the ground on his belly. He feels long, powerful and flexible. He turns his head, and sees a man sitting on the ground. Harry flicks his tongue and tastes the man's scent. It is clear the man is alive but drowsing.

The man begins to stir, and Harry strikes. The man screams in agony as Harry strikes again and again. Blood flowing freely from his wounds. The man slumps to the ground, and remains silent.

"Harry!" he heard a voice. "HARRY!"

Harry's eyes snap open, and he finds himself tangled in the blankets he and Daphne had fallen asleep in. He was covered in a cold sweat as he looked to see the worried face of his wife. They were both still naked from their love making.

"I have to get to Dumbledore." he said in a shaky voice.

"What's wrong?" Daphne asked, running her hand across Harry's sweat covered brow.

'Mr. Weasley's been attacked." he said as he made stood to his feet awkwardly.

Daphne immediately followed and asked Dobby to bring them clothes quickly before sending him to fetch Professor McGonagall. As the pair got dressed quickly, Daphne had another idea.

"MOBIUS!" she called out as she grabbed some parchment and scribbled down a note for Dumbledore. When she finished, she gave it to the Phoenix and said. "Take this to Dumbledore right away, and then rescue Mr. Weasley from where ever he is. He might be dying. Take him to Grimmauld Place now!"

The Phoenix didn't need to be told twice and he seemed to flame away with a little more force than usual. There was an urgent knock on their door. Fortunately they were both no fully dressed when she answered it.

Professor McGonagall stood in their doorway looking rather rumpled but very worried.

"Mrs. Potter." she said. "I've just been woken by your very hyperactive elf who said there was an emergency."

"Yes Professor." said Daphne. "We need to see the Headmaster immediately. We think there's been an attack."

When Harry stood next to his wife at the door, Minerva took one look at his pale shaking form and took his arm when he looked about to pass out. "Oh my." She said and immediately began to steer him out of the tower and toward Dumbledore's office.

X x x x x x x x

An hour later Harry and Daphne were in the headmaster's office seated in front of Dumbledore's desk. Mobius was perched on the back of their plush twin seat, trilling his comfort gently for his master.

"I must say the use of your phoenix was inspired." said Dumbledore with a slight smile.

"His timely arrive may have very well saved Arthur Weasley's life. You will be…. relieved.. to know that he is now safely in St. Mungo's under going treatment of his injuries. He should be out of hospital before Christmas. It was most generous of Mobius to donate his tears to heal the most severe injuries on the spot."

Harry still looked rather green at the thought of seeing Mr. Weasley so viciously attacked. What's more, he couldn't get the idea out of his head that he had done it himself.

"Professor." Harry said in a shaky voice as Daphne held him tighter. 'In the vision…. I was the snake…. Could it possible that I .."

"That you were the one to attack Arthur Weasley?" Dumbledore interrupted. Harry nodded in reply.

"Let me make this perfectly clear to you Harry." the headmaster said in a soft voice, "You did not attack Mr. Weasley. The vision you saw was through your connection to Voldemort. Your scar. Also….. Your phoenix would never have bonded with you, were you evil or in any way like Voldemort."

Harry felt as though a weight had been lifted off his shoulders, if only for a moment.

"I think Voldemort may have let his guard down momentarily when he saw, through his snake, Mr. Weasley in the corridor."

"He's after the prophecy isn't he?" said Harry.

"Yes." said Dumbledore. "Fortunately he has been sending his followers to try and steal it, so it cannot be removed by any of them. It can only be removed by those who the prophecy is about, and I highly doubt he is going to risk showing himself that way."

"Why didn't we just get the damn thing before?" Harry asked.

"Lapse of judgment on my part Harry." said Dumbledore with chagrin. "There were too many demands on my time. Since you're already aware of the contents of the prophecy, I thought it would be safe where it is. With all of the activity after Cedric's death, it slipped my mind until it was too late."

Harry nodded in acceptance of Dumbledore's answer. Even the greatest wizard of the age couldn't be everywhere at once.

"Now." Dumbledore said, rising from is seat. " Since term has only two days remaining, I think it would be prudent for the two of you to join the Weasleys at the 'Dog House'. Ms. Granger and Mr. Longbottom shall be joining you as soon as term ends. You can have your elf Dobby gather your belongings and bring them to you."

Dumbledore held out a length of rope to the couple. When they took hold he tapped his wand on the rope and said "Portus". Harry and Daphne immediately felt the pull behind their navels and were gone.

X x x x x x x x

The entire Weasley family, minus Percy, were gathered around the kitchen table at the 'Dog House' for Christmas dinner. Mr. Weasley sat to the head of the table, looking battered, but alive. Neville had gone home with his Gran the day before. They had their own traditions to uphold. For Neville it was visiting his parents at St. Mungo's.

The food was incredible as Mrs. Weasley had outdone herself in an effort to get her mind off the war, if even for a moment. The manor's elves were very annoyed at this, but were ordered by Sirius to allow Mrs. Weasley free reign of the kitchen when she needed it. They did , after all, have the entire rest of the manor and grounds to look after. Harry and Daphne sat with the twins, Sirius, Astoria, and her parents at one end of the table, while Ginny sat with her parents, Bill, Ron, Luna and Hermione at the other. The table was large enough to seat everyone, yet small enough for everyone to join in a conversation. As Daphne said, it was cosy.

Suddenly Mr. Weasley spoke up. "I'd like to toast, Mr. Harry Potter." he said, raising his glass to Harry. Everyone following suit. "With out whom, I would not be here today. To Harry." Arthur finished with genuine emotion in his eyes.

"_To Harry!" _everyone echoed, much to Harry's embarrassment. Dinner resumed in earnest, as everyone ate their fill enjoying the feeling of family and unity during these dark times.

After dinner, Harry and Daphne were cuddled on the couch in front of the fire in the family room of the 'Dog House'. Astoria and Ginny appeared to be scheming in the corner as they were both leaning over a parchment whispering in hushed tones. The twins looked oddly proud of them. Luna was sitting in a plush seat by the Christmas tree reading her copy of the Quibbler, as usual upside down, only this time, she was seated upside down as well. Mr. Weasley was dozing in a warm chair near the hearth as well as Mrs. Weasley already appeared to be knitting next year's jumpers.

Daphne's parents had already begged off for the night and ha retired to their guest room. Sirius was in his animagus form curled up in front of the fireplace. Every so often Astoria and Ginny would glance in his direction and try to hide evil smiles. The two seemed to have something in store for Padfoot.

Sirius had given Harry a mirror that would allow him to communicate with him at any time. He said that they couldn't risk Hedwig getting hurt by that toad again. He was planning on taking a trip to the Mediterranean to "Sew his oats" before he finds himself a witch to settle down with. It took Harry a long time to convince him to do so, but Sirius finally agreed when Harry talked about the exotic women at length. The old hound was unable to resist that reasoning.

Harry nuzzled Daphne's hair before he spoke in low tones. "Before I had the vision of Mr. Weasley," he began. "It was something like this." he said waving his hand in a vague motion around the room.

"Only it was us and our children." he continued. Daphne raised her head and looked deeply into his eyes. "I was bouncing a little girl, maybe about four or five, on my knee. Twin boys, maybe two or three years old, were playing with who knows what on the floor, surrounded by piles of torn wrapping paper." he looked down at her.

"Then you walked in." he said, voice barely a whisper caressing her cheek. "You carried a tray of something. The boys went right for it. You were also…..erm…with child again." he finished awkwardly.

Daphne snuggled closer to him. "Some day my love." she said. "Maybe it will be like Luna said. The little girl on your knee." she paused. "What colour was her hair?"

"Like her mother's, but she had my green eyes." said Harry as Daphne squeezed him tighter. "The twin boys had black hair but your deep blue eyes."

"Just as I dreamed they would be." Daphne whispered.

X x x x x x x

With the beginning of the new term, came the mass breakout at Azkaban. In all ten death eaters escaped, including the Lestranges. Another surprise came with Hermione revealing that she had captured Rita Skeeter at the end of the last school year. Harry had wondered why there were no articles written by her, but had put it out of his mind for more pressing issues. Luna had been there, as representative for the Quibbler as Rita interviewed Harry.

Skeeter tried to ask more personal questions about Harry. She'd wanted to know how his marriage was coming along and if he was planning on taking any mistresses, much to Daphne's annoyance. In the end, Hermione had gotten Rita back on track with more dire threats of Azkaban.

The death eater escape brought Educational Decree Number Twenty Six, disallowing teachers from discussing any subjects they were not paid to teach. It was obvious that professors could no longer even speak freely in the staff room. Hogwarts became a more oppressive place day by day, and Umbridge was still punishing Muggle-born with the blood-quill.

It wasn't all bad news though. A week after the death eater break out, Daphne and Hermione had completed their charm, or rather curse to cause Umbridge's writing equipment to cut her hand as her blood quills have done to many students. When Umbridge first began to write quickly on morning, the group had though the curse failed, until Umbridge let out a yelp, dropping her quill to the ground. The sound drew the attention of several in the class.

Harry and company tried their best to look confused, and pulled it off, because Umbridge didn't immediately accuse them of anything. The woman then grabbed another quill and began to write, only to the same effect. She stood quickly and snatched Daphne's quill out of her hand and tried to write, which caused her to grimace in pain and she dropped Daphne's quill back on her desk.

She saw that Pavarti was using a muggle pencil, and as much as it loathed her to use the contraption of a filthy muggle, she grabbed it out of the Gryffindor Patil's hand and tried to write, only for it to cut deeper into her skin. She refrained from writing anything, until Hermione asked her if she could write their study and exam schedule on the board for them, since it wasn't in the syllabus.

Harry thought Hermione could be downright evil at times, and Umbitch picked up a piece of chalk and began to quickly scribble several dates before she screamed out loud. Hermione had done an admirable job at pretending to write down the dates furiously, and her friends made a show of groaning at her academic enthusiasm. Umbridge clutched her left hand, and Harry could see the deep red colour of venous bleeding. The curse had obviously opened up a vein in the back of the bitch's hand. _'Too bad it wasn't an artery.' _Harry thought the pink clad professor raced from the room.

In Hermione's reasoning, no one hurts Harry. It was obvious that the girl still adored Harry, but had accepted that he was never hers. She was still going to do anything to help Harry, and protect him from any type of pain. Just as she's always done.

X x x x x x x x

The second Monday in April found the D.A. practicing their Patronus charms for the fifth time. Luna, Astoria and Ginny were the first to accomplish more than a mist. Luna's Patronus was a very energetic Hare, while Ginny's was a Horse. Astoria's Patronus was an Arctic Fox who seemed to enjoy running around the feet of every D.A. member it could reach.

After another hour, Hermione managed to produce an Otter, while Neville's was the biggest surprise. His Patronus was what appeared to be a very large Kodiak Brown Bear, the largest of the brown bears. The bear stalked around the room looking for threats. When none were found, it simply sat down and began to clean itself, much to the enjoyment of the group.

Most other members managed Patronus shields. Harry noticed Cho and Marietta were not at the meeting, but thought nothing of it. There was nothing unusual about members missing a session or two. How wrong he was.

Suddenly Dobby popped into the room and shouted, "They is coming! Master Harry Potter! The bad woman and her goons is coming! You must escape now!"

Harry didn't need to be told twice. "Everybody move! Get back to your common rooms!" he shouted, which threw the members into action, and there was a mad dash for the door. They all scattered quickly as they left the room of requirement.

Harry, Daphne, Astoria, Ginny, Hermione and Neville had almost made it back to their common room, before they were cornered by the entire squad of Umbitch's cronies. Umbridge walked in front of the group, wand raised with a smirk on her face.

"You're coming with us." the toad said.

X x x x x x x

Dumbledore was sitting behind his desk with a serene expression on his face as Harry, Daphne, Astoria, Ginny, Hermione and Neville were brought before him. Professor McGonagall stood next to him rigidly, her face decidedly tense. Cornelius Fudge stood in front of the fire, rocking back and forth on his toes, with a victorious look on his face. Kingsley Shacklebolt and an unknown Auror were stationed on ether side of the door like guards. Percy Weasley stood excitedly near the wall, quill in hand, apparently ready to take notes.

Harry pulled himself free of Umbridge's grasp as the door shut behind them. Fudge looked at him with an almost victorious glare.

"Well," Fudge said, "Well, well, well…"

"They were heading back to the Gryffindor Common Room, Minister." Umbridge said with indecent excitement. "My squad, lead by Draco Malfoy, cornered them in the hallway."

"He did, did he?" said Fudge. "I must remember to tell Lucius. Well Potter….. I expect you know why you're here?"

Harry looked at him coolly as he responded. 'No."

"I beg your pardon?" sputtered Fudge.

"I don't now why I'm here." Harry said.

"So you have no idea." said Fudge, his voice dripping with sarcasm, "why Professor Umbridge had brought you here? You are not aware of any school rules you have broken?"

"I didn't think walking through the hallway with your wife and friends was against the rules." Harry said with equal sarcasm. His heart, however, was pounding in his ears. He noticed as he said wife, Umbridge's scowl deepened. He also noticed Draco seemed to be leering at Astoria, who noticed and shuddered as she pulled her robes tighter in an attempt to cover up her blossoming womanly body.

"You are aware that an illegal organization has been discovered in the school?" Fudge blustered.

"It has?" said Harry. "If there is such an organization, I'm unaware of it."

"Enough!" Umbridge all but shouted. "Perhaps it's time we brought in our informant."

"Yes, please do." said Fudge. He glared at the headmaster as Umbridge left the room.

The group waited several minutes before Umbridge returned with Cho's friend Marietta, who was covering her face with her hands.

"It's alright dear, no need to be frightened." Umbridge said as she patted Marietta's back. "You've done the right thing. The Minister is very pleased with you. He'll be telling your mother what a good girl you've been." Umbridge looked at the Minister. "Her mother is Madam Edgecombe. She works in the Department of Magical Transportation- the floo office. She's been helping us police the floo connections here at Hogwarts.'

"Jolly good!' Fudge said. "Like mother like daughter eh? Well, com on now dear, look up, don't be shy, let's see what you've got… galloping gargoyles!" Fudge exclaimed as he jumped back.

Marietta gave a small wail before she covered her face with her robe, but not before the whole room had seen the purple pimples that disfigured her face in the words "SNEAKY TWAT!"

"Never mind the spots dear." Umbridge said impatiently. 'Just take your robes away form your face and tell the Minister-"

Marietta gave another muffled wail and shook her head frantically.

"Very well you silly girl. I'll tell him!" snapped Umbridge. "Minister, Miss Edgecombe came to me after dinner and told me that if I made my way to the seventh floor, that I would find a secret room there called the Room of Requirement. When II questioned her further, she admitted that there was a secret meeting of students going on there. Unfortunately, that's when the hex activated and she became to distraught to say anything else."

The Minister tried to question Marietta about the group, it's purpose, and whom had been in attendance. Marietta simply shook her head, eyes wide with fear. Umbridge explained that she had come into intelligence that Harry and a number of other students had met in the Hog's Head Inn in Hogsmeade back in October. It was revealed that the heavily bandaged wizard whom had been at the bar, had ratted them out. Harry silently cursed himself for not going with his gut instinct on the wizard who looked like a mummy.

When it was revealed that the bandaged wizard wasn't charged for his crimes because of the information he'd brought to Umbridge, a Portrait on the wall raged against blatant corruption with in the Ministry for striking deals with petty criminals.

Dumbledore said that the Minister was in fact wrong about his accusations against Harry, and that there was indeed a meetin gof several students, no evidence existed that they continued to meet after the Educational Decree that dissolved all students organizations took effect. As Dumbledore spoke, Harry heard a rustle behind him, and felt a wave of magic shoot past him and hit Marietta. When questioned about there being any meetings over the previous six months, Marietta looked confused, and could not answer.

When asked again, the girl still shook her head.

'What do you mean by shaking you head girl?" Umbridge asked heatedly.

"I would think, that even some one as simple as yourself Dolores, would know when a person shakes their head, it means no." McGonagall said, her voice oozing with sarcasm. "Unless Ms. Edgecombe is using some form of sign language we are as yet aware of."

Umbridge seized Marietta and spun her around as she began to shake her violently. A second later, Dumbledore was on his feet, wand raised, looking very angry.

"I cannot allow you to manhandle my students Dolores, no matter how much power the Ministry had granted you." the old wizard said.

Shacklebolt whispered a warning to Umbridge, who attempted to cover up her mistake by saying she merely forgot her self for a moment. Umbridge then withdrew the D.A. list from her pocket, to Harry's horror. The cat was out of the bag.

"See Cornelius!" Umbridge said as she handed the list to the Minister. "Dumbledore's army. Proof of what I've been telling you right from the beginning Minister." she turned to Dumbledore and continued. 'All your fear mongering about You-Know-Who returning, was just a smoke screen, in your bid to seize control of the Ministry."

"Naturally." Dumbledore said as though he were merely discussing the weather.

"No professor!" said Harry "He had nothing to do with it! It was all me!"

"Most noble of you Harry, to shield me. You are the epitome of Gryffindor." Dumbledore. "But as it's been pointed out, the parchment clearly says, Dumbledore's Army. Not Potter's." Dumbledore faced the minister again. "I instructed Harry to form this organization. I and I alone, am responsible for it's activities."

"Dispatch and owl to the Daily Prophet." said Fudge. "If we hurry we can still make the morning edition. Dawlish, Shacklebolt, you will escort Dumbledore to Azkaban to await trial for conspiracy, and sedition."

Dawlish had a superior look on his face, but Shacklebolt looked very worried.

"Ah, I thought we might hit this little snag." Dumbledore said jovially as he walked back around his desk. "You seem to be labouring under the delusion that I'm going to… What was the phrase?… Come quietly. Well I can tell you this…. I have no intention of going to Azkaban."

Dumbledore saw McGonagall begin to draw her wand to stand beside him. 'No Minerva! You must remain at Hogwarts to protect the students."

McGonagall paused, and looked rebellious for a moment, before she let out a resigned sigh, and put her wand away.

"Enough of this!" Umbridge hissed, as she and the Aurors climbed the steps toward Dumbledore's desk. "Take him!"

Suddenly Fawkes trilled and flew toward Dumbledore, who grabbed on to the majestic bird and flamed away violently. The magic released was enough to throw Umbridge and the Aurors off the steps straight onto their backs, leaving only McGonagall, Harry and his friends standing.

When the Ministry officials got back to their feet Shacklebolt was the first to comment breathlessly. 'You may not like him Minister. But you can't deny, Dumbledore's got style."

X

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Note: My test showed that the part of my system they were examining, is in fact the ONLY part that's working perfectly, as it should. All is clear there, now we just have to devise a treatment for the affected part of my digestive system, and hopefully get me back on to my feet.

The next chapter will feature the Battle of the Department of Mysteries. Daphne will go toe to toe against Voldemort in an effort to protect Harry. Stay tuned. Now since he is out of Hogwarts, Dumbledore will spend his time searching out the remaining Horcruxes, specifically the ring and Locket.


	31. Oppression and Department of Mysteries

Chapter Thirty.

**Oppression and the Department of Mysteries.**

The days after Dumbledore's escape from Hogwarts were marked with ever worsening oppression. Umbridge was now the new headmistress and had attempted to have Daphne removed from her shared quarters with Harry. Harry was furious and nearly cursed Umbridge into oblivion before Daphne's cooler head defused the situation. She calmly stated that her removal would be tantamount to illegally trying to break up a marriage. Old pure-blood laws prevented Umbridge from following through on her attempts.

The D.A. members, minus the pure-bloods and Harry, were subjected to blood-quill punishments. Harry and Daphne helped where they could by giving members numbing balms for their hands, and essence of Murtlap to heal their wounds.

The D.A. as well as most of the rest of the school was waging war on Umbridge now that Dumbledore was gone. Decree after decree was posted in an attempt to stem the flood of pranks but to no avail. There was no power behind said decrees if they were unable to enforce them effectively.

The Inquisitorial Squad was reduced to a toothless entity. In deed wearing a badge only marked you as a target. Not a day passed where several members didn't end up in the hospital wing due to various jinxes or curses.

Umbridge found herself the victim of a contact glue attack. She'd spent the better part of a day glued to her seat in the great hall. One morning she found her classroom and office doors super glued shut. She tried counter curse after counter curse, but was enraged when she discovered that it was in fact a muggle substance that she had been out smarted with.

A week after she took the title of Headmistress, she had been chased out of the great hall by all of the 'pointy' silverware, and had barely escaped with her life. The entire way to her office, the walls were embedded with knives and forks. That attack was courtesy of the twins.

The desks in her classroom were commonly found milling about and mooing like cattle. Once her toilet seat even exploded, covering her in human excrement. The door was locked, and the torrent of faeces was seemingly endless.

Once again the suits of armour were on the attack as well. Many of them met heroic ends in the face of Umbridge's wand. Sir Cadogan frequently followed her around and bravely shouted obscenities at the vile woman while challenging her to duels at every opportunity.

Even the school itself appeared to be fighting her as she was unable to gain access to the Headmaster's office. The Gargoyle would frequently tell her to go fuck herself.

The Gryffindors took the brunt of her ire, but bravely carried on in the face of torture. The house certainly earned it's name as they were constantly being punished with blood-quills.

Harry was also growing worried. He had tried to contact Sirius through the enchanted mirror that he'd been given at Christmas, but each time, he'd gotten no answer. It had worked every other time he'd spoken to Sirius, and the last time Harry heard from him, he was just about to leave for Italy to begin his 'adventure'.

Fifth years were also offered career advice from their heads of house. When Harry had gone to see McGonagall, he had been witness to another battle of wills.

McGonagall was seated in her usual place, her biscuit tin on the edge of the desk, but behind her, sitting on a stool, was Professor Umbridge.

Harry looked at Umbridge with no small amount of suspicion as McGonagall said. "Please, sit down Mr. Potter."

McGonagall gave him a tight, forced smile, "Mr. Potter, we are here to discuss your future career." She flipped through a file folder full of parchment, "Your marks are very good. So you have many career fields open to you - do you have a preference?"

Harry opened his mouth to answer, but was interrupted by Umbridge's fake cough, "Hem, hem."

"Go ahead and answer Mr. Potter," McGonagall said, pointedly ignoring Umbridge.

"Erm…well I'm not sure, but maybe an Auror…." he trailed off. He could swear there was pride in Professor McGonagall's eyes as she looked at him.

Umbridge, however, missed it, "HEM, HEM!"

McGonagall closed her eyes and took a deep breath. Her hand twitched ever so slightly near her wand.

'_Umbitch is insane!' _Harry thought _'I'd be running for my life if McGonagall ever did that because of something stupid I've done!'_

"May I offer you a cough drop, Dolores?" the words were polite, but the tone belied McGonagall's irritation.

"Oh, no. I don't need one," Umbridge replied in her sickly sweet voice. "I just thought you should note that Mr. Potter's most recent marks in Defense Against the Dark Arts are abysmal. He could never qualify to become an Auror with them."

McGonagal ignored Umbridge and continued. "Mr. Potter, I would advise you to take transfiguration as you would need to transfigure, and untransfigure in your line of work. I ought tell you now Mr. Potter, that I do not accept N.E.W.T. students who've achieved less than an "Exceeds Expectations" or higher in the Ordinary Wizarding Levels. With your skill,"

"Hem, hem."

"I believe you will have no trouble achieving an 'Outstanding' on your upcoming exams. You should also continue Charms, and Potions"

"Hem, hem."

At Harry's grimace McGonagall continued. "Yes Potter, Potions. Poisons and antidotes are essential studies for Aurors, and I must tell you, Professor Snape absolutely refuses to take students who achieve less than 'Outstanding' in their O.W.L., so-"

"HEM, HEM! HEM, HEM!" Harry turned started to look at Professor Umbridge. He had forgotten she was there. From her red, irritated face, he guessed she had been trying to interrupt for some time.

McGonagall finally snapped, "_Dolores are you sure I you do not need a cough drop?"_

Umbridge threw her a nasty look, "You should not encourage Mr. Potter. His marks in my class, like I said previously, are abysmal. He has no hope of achieving the proper marks to continue on in Defence Against the Dark Arts!"

"Mr. Potter's marks in Defence Against the Dark Arts are the best in the school," replied McGonagall and as Umbridge tried to speak again, McGonagall continued in a clipped tone, "_WHEN_ being taught by a _competent_ professor." Umbridge paled and then reddened. McGonagall paid no attention, "Mr. Potter, I believe you had another career choice."

Harry blushed, "Yes, well, I just thought…maybe…"

"Quidditch."

"A very difficult choice and very common," replied McGonagall. "You are probably one of the few who stand a chance at playing professionally."

"NO, HE DOES NOT!" yelled Umbridge.

McGonagall ignored her, "I am sure that once things change, you will be back out on the pitch next year. I would still urge you to continue studying to become a Auror. It never hurts to have a backup plan. If that is all Mr. Potter, you may go."

Harry hightailed it out of the office before curses could start flying. He did hear Umbridge screaming about something or other.

Later that day, the seven friends were walking back to the tower after lunch when there was a commotion on the first floor. They could hear what sounded like Umbridge shrieking at the top of her lungs. More and more students began making their way to the source.

When the group arrived, they found Fred and George standing proudly in front of what appeared to be a small swamp in the middle of the hallway. They were surrounded by the Inquisitorial Squad, but seemed to not notice. As Harry drew closer, he could see Umbridge was neck deep in the muddy waters and was trying to grab a hold of a foot that belong to the nearest suit of armour. The suit did not take to this very kindly as it began to hit her over the head with it's hammer with increasing frequency. Soon the woman was unconscious as the other professors merely gave vague waves of their wands in less than half hearted attempts to help her.

The twins then summoned their confiscated brooms while loudly promoting their new store that was soon to open in Diagon Alley, Weasley Wizard Wheezes. One of the brooms still had chains wrapped around it, and it knocked Draco Malfoy out cold and into the swamp, as it raced toward it's rightful owner.

The others of the I.S. tried their best to save their fallen captain before he drowned. Unfortunately they managed it. As the twins said farewell to Hogwarts, they asked Peeves to give Umbridge hell, which was met with a salute from the terrible poltergeist, and they set off their patented fireworks throughout the school before riding off toward parts unknown.

The next few weeks leading up to their OWLs were hell for Umbridge. The entire school seemed to be in competition to take over the title of mischief-makers in charge, are a relentless flow of pranks was unleashed on the toad. She spent most of the following days as a toad instead of a human. Her I.S. fared no better, and several of them quit their positions.

In late May however, things took a turn for the worst when Umbridge attempted to have Hagrid sacked with the help of several Aurors. Professor McGonagall attempted to intercede but was cut down viciously by four stunners to the chest. She would spend several days in St. Mungo's recovering from the ordeal. It was that night when Mobius had a burning, and was on his perch when everything finally calmed down for the night. Harry still heard nothing from Sirius, and his worry only grew.

The next day as Harry was sitting his History of Magic OWL, Harry found himself dozing because of the lack of sleep the night before. He was suddenly walking through the same dark corridor he had seen Mr. Weasley attack. H was in a cathedral like room with countless orb all around him arranged neatly on dusty old shelves. On the ground before him was a dark shape. It lay there like a wounded animal, and Harry's stomach twisted in fear as he recognized the shape. SIRIUS!

His scar burned badly as he heard a voice issue from his mouth "Take it for me…..Lift it down, now….. I cannot touch it, but you can."

Sirius shifted on the ground. "No." he said defiantly.

"Crucio!" Harry heard the voice shout, as Sirius crumpled in agony.

'Lord Voldemort is waiting…"

"You'll have to kill me.." said Sirius, still defiant.

"Undoubtedly, I shall in the end" said the cold voice. "But you will fetch it for me first, Black… You think you have felt pain thus far? Think again…. We have hours ahead of us, and no one around to hear you scream."

Harry heard some one scream as he fell off his desk to the floor of the great hall. He was quickly sent to the hospital wing, where he was met by his Astoria, Luna, and Ginny first, then by his wife and friends once they'd finished their OWL exams.

"Voldemort has Sirius!" he said urgently when his friends arrived. "It was like the vision I got when Mr. Weasley was attacked." Ginny paled at this as the seven friends raced up toward Gryffindor tower.

"What if Voldemort meant for you to see that?" Hermione reasoned. "What if he's only hurting Sirius to get to you?"

"So what if he is?" Harry snapped. "I'm I suppose to let my family die?"

"What do you want us to do Harry?" Neville asked in determination.

"We'll have to use the floo network." Harry said.

"But Umbitch has all the fireplaces under surveillance." Daphne said.

"Not all of them." said Harry, "I reckon the one in her office isn't being watched."

Harry and Daphne broke into Umbridge's office using the pocket knife that Sirius had given him for his birthday while the others tried to create a distraction with the help of Peeves. When he contacted the "Dog House" the elves reported to him that Sirius had yet to return from his trip but that they expected him back very soon. To Harry this only meant one thing, that Sirius had indeed been captured.

"I'm going after him." Harry said. " You try and alert the Order if you can."

'When are you going to get it into your head Harry?" Daphne said in a heated voice. "We're in this together."

"That. You. Are." came Umbridge's voice from behind them.

"Shit." muttered Harry.

Soon his friends were all in the office, each being restrained by a member of the I.S. as Harry was restrained in a chair in front of a ruffled looking Umbridge. Draco was hold Astoria inappropriately close to him, one hand on her chest and his wand at her throat. The more she struggled, the harder Draco pressed his wand into her neck. Daphne looked ready to commit murder but was in the grips of Gregory Goyle.

She bent down to meet him face to face. "You were going to Dumbledore weren't you?"

"No.." Harry began only to be stopped by a slap from Umbridge.

"Liar!" she shouted.

"You sent for me Headmistress?" a silky voice came from the doorway. It was Professor Snape.

"Snape. Yes." said Umbridge turning to face the greasy professor. "The time has come for answers, whether he wants to give them to me or not. Have you brought the Veritaserum?"

"I'm afraid you've used up the last of my stores interrogating students." Snape paused as he looked Harry up and down for a moment. 'Unless you wish to poison him and I assure you I would have the greatest sympathy if you did, I cannot help you." he finished as he turned away.

"He's got Padfoot!" Harry said urgently to Snape's retreating back, which caused the potions master to pause just outside the doorway. "He's got Padfoot, in the place where it's hidden."

Snape turned slowly and regarded Harry.

"Padfoot? What is Padfoot? Where what's hidden? What is he talking about Snape?" Umbridge asked very quickly.

Professor Snape looked at Umbridge with a blank face and said. "No idea." He turned and walked away quickly.

"Very well." Umbridge began, "As this is an issue of Ministry security, you leave me with no choice. What Cornelius doesn't know, won't hurt him." She whirled around and pointed her wand at Harry and shouted, "Crucio!"

Harry felt every nerve on fire. He vaguely heard his friends shouting at Umbridge to stop, as a scream ripped from his throat. He could feel his rage building as the evil woman held the curse longer. Suddenly a new voice was heard.

"YOU SHALL NOT HARM MY MASTER!" screamed a shrill voice.

There was a loud bang and the curse was lifted. When Harry regained his senses, he saw Umbridge crumpled against the wall, bleeding freely from her head, Dobby standing before her, one hand raised in her direction. He had never seen his loyal elf so angry before.

He heard pained groans coming from his left as Dobby released him from his bindings, and saw the entire Inquisitorial Squad had been subdued. Daphne was repeatedly stomping on Draco's groin. "Don't you _EVER_ touch my sister again!" she shouted stomping with each word. She had gotten free by punching Goyle in his manhood before turning to Draco, who had gotten the same treatment from Astoria.

Neville looked to be having a fine time pounding Crabbe's face in, as Ginny was bitch slapping Pansy Parkinson. Hermione had stomped on Bulstrode's foot before turning to 'cunt punt' her, effectively dropping her to the ground.

Montague found his package in the vice like grip of Luna and she violently tugged at it, while she kicked his face in over and over. Needless to say, their Muggle self defence lessons worked.

The group retrieved their wands bound the Slytherin idiots as well as the unconscious Umbridge, and quickly made their way toward the tower. Harry and Daphne quickly changed into their dragon hide battle garb, and gave the rest simple dragon hide vests. Harry wore his dragon hide Segmentata and boots while Daphne dressed in her dragon hide armour that was not unlike a corset, black dragon hide riding boots and a skirt that was charmed to repel minor jinxes and curses.

"Astoria you can't go." Daphne said.

"Why the hell not?" Astoria said.

"You're only a second year Tori." Daphne explained, "There are death eaters there, and Voldemort! Mum and dad would kill me if anything happened to you! I couldn't live with myself if you got killed!"

"So you're just going to leave me here, alone with Umbitch and Malfoy?" Astoria retorted. Daphne visibly flinched at the idea.

"No," Daphne said after a few moments, in a defeated tone. "I suppose not." She handed Astoria a dragon hide vest as well.

"So how are we going to get to London?" said Harry.

"We fly of course." Luna said in her typical dreamy voice. "Thestrals."

X x x x x x x x

Several Hours later, after a harrowing ride on the backs of creatures who were invisible to all but Luna and Harry, the group found themselves in the Hall of Prophecies.

When Harry reached the spot he had seen in his vision, he didn't see any sign of Sirius.

"Harry." he heard Neville say. "This one's got your name on it."

Harry looked at the small orb that had his name, as well as Dumbledore's initials. Slowly, he lifted the orb from its stand and pocketed it. He wasn't going to let Voldemort get his filthy hand on it.

As he and his friends turned to leave, their path was blocked by a masked death eater.

'Where is Sirius?" Harry demanded.

"You know you really should learn to tell the difference, between dreams and reality." said the man as he removed his mask to reveal the face of non other than Lucius Malfoy. "You saw only what the dark lord, wanted you to see. Now hand over the prophecy."

"You do anything and I'll destroy it." threatened Harry.

A girly laughed drifted from the darkness behind Malfoy.

"He knows how to play." said Bellatrix as she moved into the minimal light of the student's wands. "Itty, bitty, baby."

"Bellatrix Lestrange." Neville said in a strangled voice.

"Neville Longbottom is it?" Bellatrix said in a mocking voice. 'How's mum and dad?"

'Better now they they're about to be avenged!" Neville said raising his wand, before he was stopped by Harry. Bellatrix was likewise stopped by Lucius.

"Let's everybody just, calm down" said Lucius. Harry knew that he was trying to keep the prophecy from being destroyed. It was their only trump card at the moment. 'All we want, is that prophecy."

More figures surrounded the group on all sides, as Lucius approached.

"Now!" Harry shouted. The friends all cried out several nastier spells such as cutting and bludgeoning curses. They scattered the death eaters immediately.

"Stay together!" Harry shouted as he sent curses at the pursuing death eaters. There were at least fifteen of them, and what began was a running battle through the various rooms of the Department of Mysteries. Neville crushed the head of Rudolphus Lestrange with by banishing several of the larger orbs within range at the stupid death eater. Neville had gotten a little satisfaction for his parents with the death of Bellatrix's husband.

Luna removed the leg of Avry Jr. While Hermione crushed and badly injured Crabbe Sr. by collapsing a shelf on top of him. Ginny loosed a powerful reducto, which caused the shelves to begin collapsing in a chain reaction.

The group made a run for the door they entered through. The battle raged for over half an hour, as Harry and Daphne had their hands full trying to keep the group together while blocking most of the spells sent their way and firing their own at an alarming rate.

While Harry had plenty of power to spare, Daphne began to tire. She was holding up better than the rest though, as she was a much more powerful witch than any of the others, save Harry.

The group seemed to loose the death eaters for a moment, and found themselves in a large amphitheatre type room that had a veiled arch way on dais in the centre of a large stone pit.

They stood on the dais, all breathing heavily, as they'd just endured a forty minute running battle with over a dozen death eaters. Suddenly the doors opened, and said death eaters rushed into the room, where the battle began once again. Jumping down from the dais to take cover behind large rocks, the students began to return fire, when more shouts were heard.

Harry turned to see several members of the Order of the Phoenix charging into the room, wands blazing. That's when he saw him. SIRIUS! He as alive!

Sirius rushed to battle Bellatrix as Harry and Daphne protected their friends from further harm. Harry looked at Sirius in time to see him get hit by a piercing hex through the chest. Sirius began to fall back toward the veil, and Harry instinctively he ha to do something. Focusing on Sirius, he summoned his clothes, which pulled the injured wizard with them, saving him from falling through the veil, where who knows what might have happened. As Sirius landed on the ground in the middle or the group, he charged Neville and Hermione to look after him. Harry was pissed and charged after Bellatrix as she attempted to escape the chamber. He didn't even hear Daphne's shout behind him as his vision turned red.

He chased Bellatrix into the Ministry atrium as she cackled about how she killed Sirius Black.

"Crucio!" Harry shouted, hitting Bellatrix square in the back, knocking her down with a pained shout. She recovered and turned to face him from her position on the ground. For a moment, it seemed as though she were about to cry, when she began laughing uncontrollably.

"You have to mean it Harry." he heard a voice from behind him. It was Voldemort.

With out wasting time, Harry turned and fired a powerful Incendio at the dark lord, but once again, their wands connected. They broke the bond immediately.

'_I need another wand! I wish I had another wand! Some one help me!' _Harry thought desperately. Suddenly, in his free hand, another wand appeared. The same wand he had seen so many times in his dreams was in his hand. It seemed to glow in his hand as he grasped it. He didn't know where it came from, but he quickly stowed his holly and phoenix feather wand, and fired more curses at Voldemort.

The dark lord was hard pressed in deflecting spells and curses of such power. They were even more powerful than they had been in the graveyard. Voldemort began to worry. Each deflected curse and hex, impacted the office façade behind the dark lord, weakening their supports. The shocks from the impact of Harry's spells on Voldemort's shields was shattering office windows through out the atrium.

Harry then animated the fallen statues from the fountain as added protection from Voldemort's killing curses. The statue of the centaur was the first to be blasted into rubble as it threw itself in front of a killing curse for Harry.

Harry sent a fire whip that surrounded Voldemort. The Dark Lord cried out in pain before he turned the fire into a large snake, which charged at Harry. The young wizard destroyed the snake, sending it's entrails everywhere before they disappeared in puffs of black smoke.

Harry was so intent on defeating Voldemort, that he completely forgot that Bellatrix was still a factor. He didn't realize until it was too late, and he felt a huge impact to the back of his head. Bellatrix had banished a broken marble tile at Harry, knocking him unconscious.

As she and Voldemort began to laugh, Bellatrix was silence as she was blasted across the atrium, coming to rest behind Voldemort. Daphne charged forward, wand raised and placed herself between Harry and the dark lord. She was near exhaustion, but was going to protect Harry at all costs. Even if it meant with her own life.

"So you're Potter's whore?" Voldemort sneered. "It's a shame that such a pretty little pure-blood like yourself has dirtied herself with the like of your half-blood husband."

"That's rich coming from a crybaby half-blood like yourself" Daphne retorted.

Voldemort screamed in rage and began moving his wand to kill the insolent tramp before him. Daphne was an instant faster as she acted unconsciously and unknowingly used the same technique against Voldemort as Myrddin used to drain Gwrtheyrn nearly fifteen hundred years ago. The problem for Daphne was that she didn't have the magical reserves of Harry and felt her power draining rapidly. She knew she couldn't hold this for long.

The proof was in the connection. Voldemort's energy pushed Daphne's back to the centre, but she kept slowly advancing on the dark lord. The show of strength didn't last long though, as Voldemort broke the connection and conjured Fiendfyre in the form of a giant serpent.

Daphne took several steps back as the snake of fire bore down on her. With a mighty upward slash of her wand, she sent a blast of magical energy at the flames, causing it to lose cohesion before she gathered remaining energy from the fire, and blew it back at Voldemort with a grunt of effort.

Voldemort dispelled the flames as they reached him, but Daphne was already on the counter attack. She swung her wand in an underhand motion, causing the water in the fountain of magical brethren to surge, and with a circular motion of her blue and ebony wand, she surrounded Voldemort with a large globe of water, lifting it, along with Voldemort, several feet off the ground. With a jab of her wand, she set the water to boil. Voldemort's muffled screams could be heard emanating from the globe of boiling water.

Daphne was near her end, and with a pained grunt, she dropped the spell, releasing Voldemort. The dark lord was screaming in pain as he sent an unknown black curse at Daphne, who barely managed to raise the most powerful shield she knew, bouncing it back at Voldemort.

The dark lord collected the magic and seemed to compress it in his hands before he released it in a powerful shockwave, which broke all of the remaining windows in the atrium, and knocked an exhausted Daphne halfway on top of Harry, who had yet to wake up.

She turned back in time to see Voldemort raising his burned and blistered arms over his head, summoning the broken shards of glass. She could see the thick 'cloud' of shimmering death racing toward her. He knew she had little left in her, but she was going to give it everything she had left, even if she damaged her core and turned herself into a squib. She was going to save Harry. Rising to one knee, she knew it would take more power than she had to block the glass outright, so she settled on transfiguring it back to it's original form. Daphne raised the magical dome just in time to avoid most of the glass. She was blasted with a huge amount of sand, and was forced to turn her face away. She also felt several shards that were left untransfigured, cut her arms and ricochet off her dragon hide armour.

She had it. There was nothing left. She knew she was doomed as she saw Voldemort approach her slowly.

"You _are _a very powerful witch." He said, not standing about twenty paces from her. "Join me now, and I shall let you live."

Daphne looked into his eyes defiantly and spat in his direction. "Fuck you!" she said.

"Very well." Voldemort hissed. "have it your way you blood traitor bitch."

He raised his wand and cried, "Avada Kedavra!"

Green death flew from his wand and bore down on Daphne. Time seemed to slow for her as she looked her death in the face. All she could think of in those last moments was how she failed Harry, how she would never have a family with him, and that she hoped he could make it without her.

"I love you Harry." she said quietly as she leaned on Harry for the last time. Unknown to any of them Dumbledore had just arrived at the far end of the atrium, after dealing wit the most dangerous death eaters, and was racing to their aide.

Before the spell could reach her however, a marble slab came out of nowhere and absorbed the killing curse, and was reduced to dust. She felt Harry moving under her and she found herself pushed to one side as Harry lifted himself quickly, sending two powerful bolts of fire through the cloud of marble, followed by a cutting curse. Both concentrated Incendio spells had pointed tips at the leading edges. The idea was to concentrate as much magical power in as small an area as possible, making it easier to bring down an opponent's shields. A trick he learned from the Flamel journals.

Voldemort managed to raise a weak shield just in time to absorb the first bolt of fire, but the second bolt pierced through his weakened shield, which seemed to blunt the pointed tip of the spell. He had no time to react as the spell hit his upper left arm, immediately followed by a cutting cure, which removed the chard remains at his shoulder.

Voldemort fell to his knees in pain as numerous people began to flood the atrium through the floo network. Among them, was Cornelius Fudge.

Harry was on his feet when he heard the animalistic cry from Bellatrix, whom had also come to, in time to see her master severely injured. Harry sent three blasting hexes that seemed to go very wide. She began to laugh at him and his incompetence as Harry gave his wand a mighty yanking motion which brought the beleaguered façade of the atrium's offices down on the insane witch. Bellatrix managed to activate her emergency portkey, but not before she suffered grievous injuries.

Voldemort, seeing he was out classed, and now out numbered he activated his portkey, and was gone.

"He's back." Harry heard the terrified voice of the Minister say.

"No shit Sherlock." Harry said. "It's what I've been saying ever since Cedric was murdered! Still think I'm spreading lies?" voice rising by the syllable, "Still think Dumbledore is fear mongering in an attempt to take over the Ministry? DO YOU? YOU FUCKING IDIOT! You unleashed a sadistic woman on Hogwarts who used blood-quills as punishment on students. Mostly on the Muggleborn students too!"

Harry stumbled his way to Daphne, and fell to his knees before gathering her in his arms. Harry was fine magically, but was injured and physically worn, while Daphne was both magically and physically exhausted. A one hour battle against some of the most powerful witches and wizards in Britain would do that to even the most robust magicals.

There were few times that Dumbledore had felt so utterly useless. This was one of them. The duel between Voldemort, and the Potters couldn't have been any longer than ninety seconds, yet it nearly destroyed their entire atrium. Harry and Daphne had been out of his sight for no more than three minutes, yet when he found them, they were surrounded by complete and utter devastation. He felt terrible. He hated that he wasn't fast enough to lend them any kind of help. By the time he arrived, the duel was nearly over, lasting only seconds longer.

He quickly reached their side, and created a portkey directly to the hospital wing so that Poppy could see to them immediately. Fortunately none of the other students suffered any more than a few scrapes and minor cuts. Thanks in no small part to the efforts of the Potters.

"Here Harry, Daphne." said Dumbledore, handing them a small piece of the demolished wizard statue. "This is a portkey back to the Hogwarts hospital wing. Sirius is already there and being treated."

The two Potters grabbed a hold of the portkey, and they felt the familiar pull behind their navels, and in a whirl of colours, they found themselves in the hospital wing where they were immediately put to bed and forced to drink several potions. Harry looked at the bed across form his and saw Sirius sleeping.

"He's going to be alright Mr. Potter." Madam Pomfrey said. "He took a nasty curse to the chest, but I've fixed the damage, and he will be here for a few days to heal. Now drink your potions and go to sleep."

He did, but not before slipping into bed with Daphne, much to Poppy's annoyance. Soon the two lovers were lulled into dreamless sleep by the powerful potions. As always, they fell asleep in each other's arms.

He never noticed that at the other end of the ward, Dolores Umbridge slept strapped down to the bed, head heavily bandaged.

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Note: I've always wanted a woman to duel Voldemort as Dumbledore did. In my mind it was pure awesome to imagine a hot woman duelling the dark tosspot. So no complaining about it. Don't need to hear it. If you can do better, then by all means do it. Don't be a douche and flame. It's what was in my mind so I went with it. I also wanted the atrium to suffer much more damage than it did in canon. A real sign of an epic, albeit brief duel. I also wanted some way to prove Daphne's power, and her utter devotion to Harry, and his to her.

The only other chapter I've most looked forward to writing besides this one, was the Yule Ball. With a badly injured Voldemort. Dumbledore and Harry shall hunt Voldemort's remaining Horcruxes during the summer, in an effort to be rid of the dark lord by start of term. As usual, Harry WILL have to stay at the Dursleys for a week with the sacrifice of his and Petunia's blood. Then it's Horcrux season. (Elmer Fudd laugh)


	32. Articles and Rally Cries

Chapter Thirty One

**Articles and Rally Cries **

**Headmaster's Office, Hogwarts 6:33 AM.**

Dumbledore sat at his desk, looking very tired, but serene as usual. Professor Snape stood in front of him, rubbing his left fore arm and looking a bit more pale than usual.

"What news do you have for me Severus?" Asked Dumbledore.

"The Dark Lord was-" Snape paused, giving a slight shudder, "-furious Headmaster. He lost a great deal of blood. He has conjured himself a silver arm, much like the hand he gave Pettigrew. It is weak, however, because his arm was not removed by a blade, but a curse, so it is not as effective as it could be. The Dark Lord is handicapped though still very dangerous."

"And Bellatrix?" Dumbledore prompted.

"She nearly died of her injuries," said Snape, "But I was ordered to treat her wounds. She will live, unfortunately. She has vowed revenge on Potter and his…. 'blood traitor whore'….. as she put it. I for one have never been more proud of one of my Slytherins. Even if she is married to a Potter."

Dumbledore smiled. "I feel as though Voldemort may have trouble gathering very many new followers. With the news that will be in this morning's paper, I believe there are many who will be, at the very least, reluctant to join. What with the prospect of facing the Potters in battle and all."

"Indeed." said Snape. "Several lower level death eaters have already shown their true colours and have vanished."

"Things are coming to a head." Dumbledore said. "This summer Harry and I shall be hunting the last of Tom's horcrux. I have a very good idea where two may be found, as for Hufflepuff's Cup, I have no clue."

"Perhaps…" Severus paused. "It was given to one of his most trusted. The Dark Lord entrusted the diary to Lucius. If you know where two are, but have no clue as to the cup, it is likely to be in the possession of a death eater. His most trusted right now is Bellatrix."

"I too have thought that." Dumbledore said. "The problem is, if it is in Gringotts, it will be nearly impossible to retrieve."

"I'm sure something will come up." Severus said with smirk. "Potter does seem to have very good luck."

The morning after the battle of The Department of Mysteries, greater Wizarding Britain, awoke to very terrifying news. The front page headline of the Daily Prophet read-

'**POTTERS BATTLE YOU-KNOW-WHO IN THE MINISTRY ATRIUM'**

'**YOU-KNOW-WHO RETURNS!'**

_By A. Fenetre._

_It is this reporter's duty to inform the Wizarding world at large, that He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named was sighted last night in the Atrium of the Ministry. Numerous Ministry officials, including Minister of Magic Cornelius Fudge witnessed the immediate aftermath of what was undoubtedly a battle of epic proportions. _

_Early reports indicate that You-Know-Who was severely injured by Lord Potter before retreating from the battle. Clearly the Dark Lord was outclassed by Harry Potter and his wife Daphne Potter, whom it was said, appeared to be suffering from magical exhaustion, following the duel. The head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, Amelia Bones, reported that the Ministry was in possession of the remains of the Dark Lord's burnt and severed left arm. An arm which was removed by Lord Potter himself._

_What is clear, however, is that both Potter and Dumbledore have been vindicated. I cannot help but wonder how long the Minister can remain in office now that it is clear his administration had gone to great lengths to cover up You-Know-Who's return, whilst slandering both the Hogwarts Headmaster and Lord Potter._

_No details on the battle itself are known as of yet, but it has been reported by the Ministry, that six other Hogwarts students, accompanied Lord Potter to the Ministry on a 'rescue mission'. The seven students were ambushed by no less than fifteen death eaters. What followed was a running battle through out the Department of Mysteries that lasted nearly an hour. None of the students were seriously injured in the fight, but the same cannot be said for the death eaters who had cornered them_

_Three death eaters were confirmed killed as a result of the battle; Rudolphus Lestrange, and Dorian Avery Jr. Vincent Crabbe Sr. later died of injuries sustained in the battle. The status of escaped convict, Bellatrix Lestrange is unknown, but it is believed she suffered serious injuries when Lord Potter caused the damaged façade of the Atrium offices to collapse on top of her. No body was found, so it has been speculated that Lestrange somehow managed to activate a portkey and escape._

_The list of death eaters captured includes Lucius Malfoy, Rabastan Lestrange and Walden McNair._

_More details to come as they are made available._

Below that was another article on Delores Umbridge.

'**Hogwarts High Inquisitor Tortured Muggle-Born and Half-Blood Students?'**

_By A. Fenetre._

_A spokesperson for the Department of Magical law Enforcement has reported that a warrant for the arrest of one Dolores Umbridge has been filed, on the charges of 'Using a class two restricted magical artefact on students, including Lord Harry Potter, as punishment for minor violations.' and 'The use of an unforgivable, namely the Cruciatus Curse, on one Lord Harry James Potter' in an attempt to gain information as to the whereabouts of Albus Dumbledore._

_If these allegations prove to be true, then the Undersecretary to the Minister could face life imprisonment in Azkaban, if Lord and Lady Potter do not demand satisfaction and challenge Dolores Umbridge to an Honour Duel to the Death. The penalty for using a class two restricted magical artefact on minors carries a minimum of five years imprisonment for each proven violation. If the preliminary numbers are to be believed, those charges alone, could carry a sentence of at least three hundred years._

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Harry slowly began to drift into wakefulness. Be quickly became more and more aware of the antiseptic smells of the hospital wing, and the memories of the night before flooded his mind. He was also aware of a weight against his side, and the all too familiar scent of his beloved.

As his eyes drifted open, he saw his vision obscured by gold, as usual. He breathed her scent in deeply, revelling in it. In how it seemed to signify her as his and his alone. Shifting his head to the left, he became aware of another weight on his bed. At the foot of his bed to be exact. Looking down, he saw the form of a large black dog, sleeping at their feet.

Harry smiled as he remembered how Sirius rushed into the room with the veil, wand blazing and a wild look in his eyes. Looking around, he saw the light filtering in through the windows, and thought to himself that it couldn't be any later than 7am.

He felt Daphne shift on top of him, and she slowly left the land of dreams. When she finally did wake, she looked up at him sleepily, and said "Good morning love." as she kissed him softly.

"How do you feel?" Harry asked.

"Very tired." Daphne replied. 'But not as tired as last night."

"And you're going to feel that way for a while." came the unexpected brusque voice of Madam Pomfrey. "Here, drink these Mrs. Potter." she said as she handed Daphne several vials, which the young witch choked down with a grimace.

"It was very foolish pushing your magic like that Mrs. Potter." the Nurse continued. "Were you not as powerful as you are, you could have damaged you magical core. Anyone else would have reduced to a squib had they done what you did." Poppy turned to Padfoot. "Off the bed you!" she said as she shooed the large animagus of their bed.

Padfoot jumped down with a pitiful whine, and his tail between his legs as he scurried under the bed instead of on top of it. It was an odd sight for such a large dog to be cowed by a relatively small, yet severe looking woman.

"Mr. Potter." Madam Pomfrey began. "I would say you are free to go, as you suffered no magical exhaustion, and only a concussion, which had already been treated, but I'm sure you will not leave your wife's side until she too is discharged. She will have to remain here for at least three more days under observation. While I'm sure her core suffered no damage, it never hurts to be sure."

"Of course." said Harry before Madam Pomfrey turned and walked back into her office.

Padfoot crawled out from under the bed and shifted into Sirius before sitting down on a chair next to the two teen's bed.

"Sirius." Harry said in a threatening tone as he sat up to face the Marauder. "Why the hell didn't you answer your damn mirror. I was worried sick for weeks"

Sirius looked sheepish before he answered. "Well you see, on my travels….in Greece. I was accosted by this rather large woman… and she sat on my lap, rather heavily.. The mirror was in my pocket, and it was smashed…I managed to get away from the woman, and spent the next hour picking glass out of my leg. Later that night I met a very attractive woman, and well… I woke up in Siberia. Penniless and with no idea where I was so I couldn't just apperate. For all I knew at the time I was in Alaska. It took me weeks to find a settlement, fortunately one could survive better as a large dog. I had to cross several large rivers, and only stopped to eat and sleep. I followed the sun west. I felt that was the only thing I could do."

"So how did you manage to find your way back?" Daphne asked.

"I stumbled upon a nomadic muggle tribe." Sirius paused. "well, mostly muggle. There was a 'witch doctor' among them, and he recognized what I was. He arranged for three guides to whisk me off to the nearest town with an automobile, to then be driven to the nearest train station, and off to Moscow. I got there only yesterday when I reached the British Embassy. I sent word along to my elves that I would be back soon. Word came that you were in trouble just as I arrived home by international portkey. I grabbed the nearest spare wand and rushed after the Order to rescue you, and you know the rest."

Harry stood from the bed quickly and grabbed Sirius up in a tight hug. "I'm glad you're okay. I don't know what I would have done if you'd died saving my foolish arse."

"I'm alright pup." Sirius said in a thick voice. "I'm not going anywhere."

As Harry sat back down, Sirius continued. "I heard you gave old Moldyshorts a good arse kicking last night. You and Mrs. Potter."

"What happened to Umbitch?" Harry asked.

"She was in the ward last night." Sirius said. " What ever you did, caused quite a bit of damage. She was taken this morning by Aurors to St. Mungo's. When she is healed properly, she is going to stand trial for her crimes against the students of this school. Lord Greengrass and I will not rest until she is snogging the nearest Dementor."

An hour later Harry was in his shared suite after showering, and was preparing to head back down to the hospital wing when there was a knock on his door. Opening it he found Dumbledore.

"Good morning Harry." said the Headmaster. "Do you mind if I come it?"

"Of course sir." said Harry. "Would you care fro tea?"

"Oh yes." Dumbledore said with a smile as he conjured himself a large squishy chair. " That would be lovely."

"Dobby!" Harry called out.

POP!

"Yes master Harry Potter sir." said the excitable elf. "How may Dobby serve?"

"Would you be so kind as to bring us some tea please?" asked Harry.

"Yes sir! Dobby is bringing it now." Dobby said before popping away, and back again not a moment later, placing the tea service on the coffee table in the suite sitting room.

"Thank you Dobby." Harry said. Dobby bowed low to the ground and popped away.

"Harry," began Dumbledore. "Once the blood protections around your aunt's home are recharged, I would like for you to join me is seeking out the pieces of Tom's soul. I shall also educate you on everything else I know about Riddle."

"Can Daphne come too?" Harry asked immediately.

"It will be very dangerous, Harry." Dumbledore said. "But I see no harm in having extra help. She may come along."

"Also." he continued, "Fudge will not be in office much longer. At the moment the Ministry resembles a kicked over ant hill, and people are already clamouring for answers."

"Good." said Harry, with a hint of bitterness. "I hope heads will roll for the mistakes made this year by the Ministry."

"I would also like to acquire a copy of the battle from your memory." said Dumbledore. "I have already asked your lovely wife, and she agreed. I plan on watching the undoubtedly spectacular battle when I return to my office shortly."

"You and me both sir." Harry said excitedly. "I'd like to see how she fought the tosser off."

After sending word to Daphne that he would be a while longer because he was joining Dumbledore in watching her battle with Voldemort, Harry stumbled out of the pensieve just ahead of the headmaster.

"Incredible." Dumbledore muttered.

"You said it sir." replied Harry. "I knew she was powerful, but I never thought about just how much so she is."

"Yes she was nothing short of awe inspiring." said the headmaster with a smile before he looked pensive.

"Harry," he continued. "The wand you called forth. Would mind calling it to you now? I would like to see it."

Harry did so, and handed it to Dumbledore, who tried a simple spell, but failed completely.

"As I suspected." he said looking down at the wand in his hands. A wand that bore a resemblance to the Elder Wand he carried, only much more smooth in texture. "It can only be used by you, and perhaps your wife. It is one legend that appears to be true." he finished handing the wand back to Harry.

'While I don't believe anyone else would know the significance of the wand, I believe you must keep it secret for now."

"Yes sir." Harry said quickly. "I'll do that sir."

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The next morning, after some convincing by Daphne, and with the permission of Dumbledore, Rita Skeeter was invited to Hogwarts to give an exclusive interview for the Quibbler, and view the pensieve memories. The memories were edited as so the wand of Merlin looked like any other wand.

There were numerous shrieks of terror from the reporter, especially when Harry and Daphne confronted Voldemort, but she also stood with wrapped attention. When she emerged from the pensieve, she was nearly breathless. After a short interview, and permission to make copies of the edited memories, she bolted from the hospital wing like a bat out of hell, desperate to make the next edition of the Quibbler.

It was two days later when Daphne was finally released from the hospital wing. Harry had been doting on her constantly, and while sweet, was beginning to get out of hand for her. She didn't snap at him in anyway, she sweetly and calmly asked him to ease up on his attentions. He agreed reluctantly, but was reassured by a deep kiss form his wife, and her assertions that to her, he was indeed the sweetest husband in the world for trying to make her as comfortable as possible.

The next issue of the Quibbler met them in the great hall at breakfast the day after she was finally released. When they walked in hand in hand, the entire hall went silent. Many looked upon the pair in awe, but others in fear. It was mostly the Slytherins who seemed to be afraid of them. The Gryffindor table suddenly jumped to their feet and began cheering loudly, followed closely by Hufflepuff, and a more reluctant Ravenclaw.

When the couple finally made it to their seats, after countless congratulations, they were handed a copy of the Quibbler by Hermione, who was looking at them in speechless admiration. On the front, the entire ninety second battle, edited together using both Harry and Daphne's memories, was played in a continuous loop. The headline read.

**BATTLE AT THE MINISTRY EXCLUSIVE!**

_By Rita Skeeter, special correspondent for the Quibbler. _

_In an exclusive interview, Lord and Lady Potter revealed to me the details of their heroic fight against You-Know-Who. It was my honour and pleasure to invited to the Hogwarts hospital wing to conduct this once in a lifetime interview. _

_Why was I in the Hogwarts medical wing you ask? The simple truth is that Lady Daphne Potter was recovering from her duel with the Dark Lord, as the sheer power she used in her fight, did indeed leave her magically exhausted, as it had been rumoured. _

_As you the reader can see by the picture on the front page (Which is the entire ninety second duel) the power wielded by the Potters was nothing short of incredible. I was fortunate enough to be allowed a copy of the Potter's memories so that we here at the Quibbler could bring the entire, nearly apocalyptic duel, to you the readers._

_The battle calls into question whether or not You-Know-Who is really worth fearing when two fifth year students can manage to defeat him, and his best lieutenant Bellatrix Lestrange, in a duel that left the entire Atrium devastated. No insult on the Potters intended of course. This reporter is merely pointing out that we the magical community, may not have as much to fear from the dark lord as we once believed._

_It has also came as a great shock to me, when the Potters revealed the Dark Lord's true name and origins. The Dark Lord's name is not in fact Lord Voldemort, but Tom Marvolo Riddle. Son of a pure-blood witch, and a muggle father. He attended Hogwarts fifty years ago, and was head boy in 1945. He was also responsible for framing Rubius Hagrid for the death of muggle-born Myrtle Malone._

_There is a great irony in that his pure-blood followers, are nothing more than slaves to a half-blood with delusions of grandeur, and hate for muggles and muggle-born alike, "Simply because he never go a hug from his idiot father when he was a child." as quoted by Lady Potter. "His mother was also a half dumb slut who was so inbred she could hardly see straight. It's amazing she was ever able to actually brew a love potion to use on that poor muggle man named Tom Riddle." Lady Potter continued. _

_Yes ladies and gentlemen, the Dark Lord was named after his father, one Tom Riddle. With these revelations, I say it is time we stood up to the Dark Lord as one, and rally behind Lord and Lady Potter. It's time we united as one to defeat the darkness once and for all._

Harry was impressed by Rita's writing. None of the facts in the interview were twisted around in any way. It also seemed as though Rita was also giving out a war cry. Making the Potters a symbol for the Wizarding world to rally behind. It seemed that Tom's days were numbered.

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In a dark hallway, deep in the bowels of the Ministry, a disillusioned figure, creeps slowly along the corridor. Sneaking past several holding cells, the assassin finds his first target. Rebastan Lestrange.

The disillusioned figure reaches carefully into a large sack on his hip. He slowly pulls out a snake with a leather hood tied around it's head. Holding it securely right behind it's head, the assassin removes the hood, and allows the large black snake to slither into the cell. The snake was a Black Mamba, and had a compulsion charm placed on it so that it would bite until it's venom sacks were completely empty.

As the assassin moved onto the next cell that held a death eater, he heard a strangled groan from Rabastan Lestrange's cell. The assassin repeated the process over and over with the numerous snakes he carried in his bag until every cell with a death eater had been paid a visit from the deadliest snakes in the world. The assassin quickly banished the snakes, and slipped out unnoticed.

It would be several hours before the bodies of the eleven death eaters, who were awaiting trial, were found.

Eugene Delacour smiled to himself when he received a discrete report from his contacts hours later. His plan had gone perfectly, and no one would be able to link him to the deaths. It was the least he could do to repay part of the debt his family owed Lord Potter for saving his daughter's life.

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Note: Nothing to say but here the new chapter...Other than I recently came to the realization that a medication I was on back in 2006, might have cause the problems I currently have. The medication is called Regalan. From what I've read, my depression, change in personality I.E. the depression and withdrawal from family and friends (which was probably the main contributor to my engagement ending so badly) and the continuing anxiety I have to this day, are all symptoms of a bad reaction. I can't go into crowds with out jumping out of my skin at the slightest bump from some one else. I never knew this... I don't know what to do. Has it been too long? I was never told. I want my old self back...


	33. Bombs Away!

Chapter Thirty Two.

**Bombs Away**

It was a clear sunny day as the Hogwarts Express steamed it's way south toward London. Harry and company were in their usual compartment, all of them doing the same things they could usually be found doing were one to ever come across the group at any given time.

The big talk amongst the school's population had not only been about the Potter's battle with Voldemort, but also of the deaths of all eleven death eaters being held in Ministry holding cells. The Daily Prophet had reported that they appeared to have died from gargantuan amounts of snake venom. What surprised many was the type of snake venom that killed them. St. Mungo's medical experts had said that they were killed by what is known in the Muggle world as the "African Black Mamba".

Speculation that Voldemort had silenced his own death eaters ran rampant around the Wizarding World. The effects were far reaching as many in Slytherin began to seriously reconsider joining the Dark Lord's forces. Death Eaters had thus far suffered heavy losses. Also there was the fact that Voldemort had been severely wounded by the Potters, and the war hadn't even begun picking up steam.

Harry was lost in thought when the group heard a knock on their compartment door. They looked up to see Cho Chang standing in the window, looking very nervous. She slowly opened the door, and hesitated before she spoke, looking at the floor the whole time.

"Harry?" Cho said. "Could I speak to you for a moment?"

Harry looked over at his friends who shrugged before looking back at the Asian girl. "Sure Cho." he said before he turned to Daphne and gave her a kiss. He didn't fail to notice that his wife had her eyes narrowed at the Ravenclaw.

Stepping out into the corridor, Harry closed the door behind him and leaned casually against it.

"What do you need?" he said.

"I wanted to apologise." said Cho. "I had no idea Marietta was going to snitch us out like that." she looked down in shame. "I suppose it's my fault though."

"What do you mean?" Harry asked.

"Well," Cho hesitated. "I thought I fancied you, and when I found out you were married to Daphne….. I got angry. I was jealous of her every time I saw you two together, and I would rant up and down when she and I were alone in the dorms. I think she was angry at you for making me feel this way. I honestly didn't mean for her to try to take revenge on you. It was stupid of her to do, and silly of me to be angry and jealous of the two of you. I had no idea she would do that, and when I found out what had happened, I was so humiliated and ashamed. I couldn't face any of you, so I….. I avoided you. I'm so sorry." she finished in a small voice, looking down at the floor again.

Harry looked at Cho for a moment, trying to detect any deception from her, but found none. She looked genuinely miserable to him.

"It's alright." he said with a heavy sigh. "It wasn't your fault really. You had no control over her actions, and it's unlikely that you were the only one angry that I married, if what the girls say is true."

"Thank you Harry." Cho said with a shy smile, before she gave him a hug and scurried away.

Harry looked after her for a moment before shaking his head and re-entering the compartment.

"What did she want?" Daphne asked in a falsely sweet voice as he sat down next to her.

"She wanted to apologise for her friend ratting us out to Umbitch." said Harry. "It was a case of stupid teenage girl vindictiveness. Cho's reaction to our marriage was the same as many other witches. So you say." he said the last part while looking at Astoria and Ginny. "Marietta held a stupid grudge and decided to get revenge with out Cho's knowledge. As those American muggle 'rappers' say 'Bitches be crazy'."

While it sounded utterly ridiculous in his English accent, it still earned a glare from most of the girls in the compartment. Except Luna, who looked thoughtful for a moment before she said. "That's not a very nice thing to say Harry. I happen to know several female dogs, and they aren't the least bit mad."

Harry's thoughts turned to his one week incarceration at Durzkaban. Amazingly, Daphne had actually managed to shout Dumbledore down when he initially refused to let her stay with her husband. It was clear that even he was reluctant to face an angry, and fully rested Daphne Potter after the battle he'd seen in her memory.

Harry had also refused to let her stay at first, but when he saw the hurt look on her face, he quickly explained that he didn't want them to treat her like they did him. Even with the danger of Sirius, he wouldn't put it past them to try something, or say something hurtful. But then he remembered they were legally allowed to use magic now that they were married. A smile crossed his face when he thought about the looks on their faces when they find out that Daphne would be staying with him, and that she was in fact, his wife.

X x x x x x x x

Later that day, found Harry was seated next to Daphne on his relative's couch, while said relatives all crowded onto their poor sofa in front of them, as Dumbledore and Sirius got to work on recharging the wards. Sirius volunteered to help Dumbledore carry some of the magical load, as to not wear the old wizard out so much.

Across from Harry and his wife, Vernon looked like a large plum about to pop. Petunia wore an incredulous look, while Dudley was eyeing Daphne in a way that irritated Harry greatly.

"Wife?" Petunia squeaked.

"Yes Aunt Petunia." Harry answered. "Daphne is my wife. Since we are married, we are also legally allowed to use magic outside of school."

Dudley's eyes snapped back toward Harry at this proclamation.

"Be warned." Harry began in a deathly low voice. "I will not hesitate in defending her should any of you step out of line or harm her in any way. Do you understand?"

"HOW DARE YOU THREATEN ME IN MY OWN HOUSE!" Vernon finally shouted as he rose to his feet, only to be met by the business end of Harry's wand to his throat.

"You were saying something Uncle Vernon?" Harry said in a casual voice.

"Is everything alright in here?" came Sirius' voice from the entryway.

As soon as Vernon saw him, he made a strangled sound and sat back down quickly, nearly crushing Petunia with his massive girth.

"Not behaving badly are we Dursley?" Sirius continued. "Upsetting Harry is not a very good idea, because when Harry get's upset, I get upset, and when I get upset….. I get stabby."

Petunia let out a small shriek as Dudley jumped up from his place on the couch and tried to hide his large body behind it. He didn't quite manage it as his large ass could still be seen. Sirius sent a wink in Harry's direction. He'd gotten that line from an American Muggle animated show.

Daphne had sat quietly throughout the entire affair as though she hadn't a care in the world. Inwardly however, she was seething. She wanted to make these people pay for how they treated Harry almost his entire life. It was only Harry's pleading that saved them from being cursed into the next millennium as soon as they had opened the front door.

"Now Dursley." said Sirius. "Mrs. Potter is going to be staying with Harry whilst he is here. Cause no trouble, and you will be fine. Harm them, or insult them in any way, I will be forced to thrash you, if not outright make you disappear. Have we got an understanding?"

Vernon and Petunia merely nodded their heads. It was at that moment Dumbledore chose to walk into the living room, with a smile on his face.

"Well," he said. "I'm terribly sorry to cut short what I'm sure was very pleasant and engaging chit chat, but Lord Black and I must be going." Dumbledore turned to the Potters. "Do try to stay out of trouble. We shall be returning at the end of the week to retrieve you both. Have a pleasant week." he finished with a twinkle in his eyes. "Lord Potter, Lady Potter, I take my leave. Good day."

"Later Prongslet." Sirius said giving Harry a hug before turning to Daphne and treating her to the same. "And you Mrs. Prongslet." to which she rolled her eyes.

X x x x x x x

Three days later, Harry was seated by himself in the Dursley's back garden relaxing on their tree swing, as Daphne showered upstairs after their rather vigorous love making. Harry had insisted on silencing charms while Daphne wanted make them squirm. Harry won out in the end much to Daphne's disappointment.

He felt Dudley's presence as the fat boy walked out of the back door toward him. Harry discretely pulled his wand from his pocket and held it close.

"How did a freak like you manage to marry a girl like that?" Dudley said with pure malice in his voice. Harry ignored him as best he could. "Maybe you used your freakishness to control her. It's the only way a loser like you could manage it. How about when you're done with her you send her my way, and I'll show him what a real man can do"

Harry roared to his feet to teach Dudley a lesson in manners, but it proved unnecessary as a foot shot up between Dudley's legs from behind and caught him square in the jewels, causing him to scream in pain as he fell. When the fat tub of fail fell to the ground and lost his entire lunch, Harry could see Daphne standing over him looking murderous.

Harry quickly grabbed Daphne's arm and dragged her back upstairs. Fortunately Dudley said nothing to his parents. They he did give Daphne a very wide berth from then on.

The week had been tense but it soon came to an end. Sirius and Dumbledore had both come to collect the young couple. Sirius had good news for Harry. The trial of Delores Umbridge was set to begin the next week, and Harry would have to testify, as well as submit several pensieve memories to be shown to the court, most importantly the incident where she'd used the torture curse on him.

X x x x x x

Courtroom ten was dark. The entire Wizengamot was in attendance for the trial of Dolores Umbridge. Harry sat in his seat amongst the other much older members for the very first time. He was feeling very out of place as he'd never dreamed that he'd be in a position of power. Not after the childhood he'd lead. The whole thing made him feel rather uncomfortable, and decided he would allow Sirius to continue being his proxy until he was at least in his twenties. Maybe by then he'd have grown up enough to shoulder such a responsibility.

"Dolores Jane Umbridge." came the imperious voice of acting Minister for Magic Amelia Bones. "You are charged with sixty four counts of torturing minors with class two restricted magical devices. How do you plead?"

"Not guilty!" Umbridge shouted from the chair in the centre of the courtroom, to which she was shackled. "These are vile slanderous lies created by that attention seeking brat Potter, his slut wife and his mud blood horde!"

There were shouts of outrage through out the chamber as many began rising to their feet and spitting in her direction.

"Order!" shouted Madam Bones, banging her gavel. "You have also been charged with the use of the Cruciatus Curse on one Lord Potter. How do you plead?"

"Not guilty!" Umbridge said once again. "I was acting in the best interests of the Ministry!"

A large Pensieve was brought out, and numerous memories of muggleborn students being tortured by blood quill were played in quick succession. Many members of the court looked rather green by the end. Others, looked like they would kill the stupid toad on the spot, given half the chance.

The final memories shown, were those of Harry, Daphne, and Neville, showing Umbridge using the Cruciatus on Harry in order to gain information on Dumbledore. More shouts of outrage rung out through the chamber, and Madam Bones once again had to call order. It took longer this time.

"In our final step, we will now question the accused under Veritaserum." Madam Bones called out. "Aurors! Administer the dose quickly. I have a lunch date I do not wish to be late for."

This was met with several chuckles.

Umbridge struggled against the Aurors but it was of no use. They forced her mouth open and administered her doom. Her eyes turned glassy immediately as the potion took effect.

"State your name." said Bones

"Dolores Jane Umbridge." the toad replied in an emotionless voice.

"Did you knowingly use blood quills on the students at Hogwarts?"

"Yes, but only the mud bloods and that brat Potter. They have no place in our world. They should all be exterminated." Umbridge answered.

For a moment the room looked as though it would explode again, but Madam Bones sent a death glare around the room. They all thought better of it.

"Did you use a blood quill on Lord Harry James Potter?" Bones asked.

"I used a blood quill on A Harry Potter. As a stupid halfblood, he does not deserve the title of Lord. It is a disgrace."

"Did you case the Unforgivable Curse known as the Cruciatus on _Lord_ Potter?" Bones asked her final question.

Umbridge seemed to be struggling "N-n-n-YES!"

"Thank you." Bones said in a blank tone. "The evidence has been presented and is irrefutable. All those in favour of conviction?"

Nearly the entire Wizengamot including Harry raised their hands. "All those opposed?"

Not one raised their hands. Umbridge let out a whimper. Gone was the confident, self absorbed woman, hungry for power, and willing to do anything to get it. In her place, was a shivering mass in a filthy pink cardigan.

"Votes are seventy in favour, three abstained. Dolores Umbridge, you are hereby found guilty of all charges. As per the letter of the law, you are sentenced to life in Azkaban plus three hundred and fifty years. Court is adjourned." with that, she banged her gavel three times, signalling the end for Umbridge.

Said toad/thing was dragged out of the chamber kicking and screaming.

X x x x x x x x

That night, a lone figure walked slowly down the hall way of holding cells. Mop in hand, he swept back and forth and he cleaned the dirt and grime from the cold stones. He paused to dip the mop back into his wheeled mop bucket and wring it out before continuing his slow journey toward his target. His face was oddly distorted, and he was wearing a notice-me-not pendant around his neck.

He stopped across from Dolores Umbridge's cell and continued to mop. The woman looked up at him in fear, as she'd heard of the multiple assassinations that had taken place here. She knew there were several Aurors on guard to protect prisoners. What she didn't know, is that several of them had been stunned silly, bound, silenced, and gagged, and were currently piled in a broom cupboard.

Umbridge relaxed when she saw that it appeared to be an old man merely cleaning the floors. She looked away for a moment, but looked back when she felt a pair of eyes on her. Looking back toward her cell door, she saw the man standing there with some sort of white bottle.

The assassin stopped cleaning and walked the bucket closer to Umbridge's cell door. He reached down into it while casting silencing charms on both ends of the corridor, and pulled out a white bottle of muggle lighter fluid. On it was a wire that held a bit of cloth in front of the nozzle. He pulled a large cup of liquid from the bucket as well and removed it's top before throwing it's oily contents on her. He removed the drying charm from the cloth and ignited the cloth with a muggle Zippo lighter.

The fat woman began to scream for help, but the assassin only smirked at her before he quietly said. "This is from my master. You shall never again lay a hand on innocent children again."

He aimed the nozzle toward her and gave the bottle a mighty squeeze. The jet of flame reached her in the blink of an eye, and ignited the liquid she had been doused in moments before. The assassin threw the rest of the bottle in with her, allowing it to catch fire as well, and burst it's contents as the pressure inside rose.

Umbridge's blood curdling screams didn't make it past the charms as the assassin ran through the bowels of the Ministry, eventually he walked casually into the Atrium currently under repair and casually disapparating. Umbridge had died within seconds as she inhaled the hot gasses and flames.

Eugene Delacour had struck again. And once again, no one would be able to trace it back to him.

What was out in the open though, was the French Government's now open support for Lord Potter in the war against the self styled Lord Voldemort. The French Minister worked out a deal with the Crown and Madam Bones for French Military support to supplement and supply the British Special Forces who would soon be on the front lines against Voldemort and his death eater.

The War was about to become much more violent.

X x x x x x

A week after Harry's birthday, Dumbledore had finally informed Harry that they would begin hunting Voldemort's Horcruxes. The previous weeks had involved the headmaster teaching Harry and Daphne everything he knew about Tom Riddle and his past.

Today the trio of very powerful magicals found themselves looking at a very old abandoned shack that was once the home of Tom's mother, Merope Gaunt. Harry could feel the dark magic that surrounded the house.

"Wait here while I check for wards." Dumbledore said, leaving the pair twenty paces form the front entrance. The old mage walked forward slowly, wand extended in front of him while he muttered several detection spells. Dumbledore paused as he reached the front door, and began weaving his wand in a complicated patters across the door's surface.

Harry felt the magic around the door break after several minutes.

"Bubble head charms if you will." said Dumbledore looking back at them. They followed his instructions and walked into the shack slowly. Harry and Daphne were once again wearing their Dragon hide armour and new gloves made from the Hungarian Horntail Harry slew in his forth year.

Looking around the room, Harry and Dumbledore caught sight of a patch of floor that emanated dark magic at the same time. Harry drew the sword of Gryffindor as Daphne stood back, medic bag at the ready. She'd been studying under Madam Pomfrey for most of the summer, and had a very good grasp of healing magics and potions.

Stepping forward, Dumbledore, also wearing a pair of Dragon hide gloves, slowly lifted the floorboard up. Immediately the room was filled with a dark green smoke. Only their bubblehead charms saved them from dying on the spot. With a wave of his wand, Dumbledore cleared the gas and they proceeded forward.

Looking down into the hole in the floor, they saw a small wooden box. Dumbledore cast numerous revealing charms on it.

"Hmm." began Dumbledore. "It would appear that in his arrogance, Tom failed to curse the box itself. But it makes me wonder what curses he has placed on the ring itself."

He lifted the box from the ground and placed it on the floor before carefully opening it's lid. Inside, was the Gaunt family ring. Dumbledore's eyes seemed to light up and he began to reach for it until Daphne knocked him off his feet by tackling him to the ground.

"Harry!" she shouted at her husband. "Destroy it now!"

Harry didn't need to be told twice, and he swung the sword with all of his might. On impact, the ring gave a shrill scream as a vapour burst forth and then vanished. Dumbledore's eyes seemed to clear instantly.

"Thank you" he said looking at Harry and Daphne. "I nearly made a foolish mistake that could have cost me my life."

Climbing to his feet, Dumbledore cast more detection spells on the ring, and declared it safe. He had a very pensive look on his face as they return to the "Dog House".

Later that night, as Harry and Daphne dozed on the couch, Dumbledore explained to Sirius that they were searching for a locket that likely contained another part of Voldemort's soul. When Dumbledore described it, Sirius immediately jumped to his feet and said he recognized such a locket when he'd visited his parent's home after his exoneration.

In short order, the pair had slipped quietly out of the house and made their way to number twelve Grimmauld Place. Sirius had left his despicable house elf Kreacher to clean up the home, but it seemed the stupid elf wasn't in a rush to follow his orders. The house was still filthy.

They quickly located the locket, and destroyed it. They were now down to the final two Horcruxes. Hufflepuff's cup, and Nagini.

Harry's eyes suddenly shot open. Looking around , he saw he had fallen asleep with Daphne on the couch. Carefully extracting himself from her arms, he made his way to the kitchen where Sirius and Dumbledore were talking quietly.

"Ah Harry," Dumbledore said with a smile. "I have some good news. By a stroke of luck, Sirius and I easily found Slytherin's locket and destroyed it."

"I need to get to Llyn y Fan Fawr." Harry said as though he hadn't heard the headmaster. He had a far away look in his eyes. It reminded Dumbledore of one Luna Lovegood. "Can you take me to the Black Mountain right now? It's very important."

Dumbledore searched Harry's eyes for a moment before agreeing. Sirius refused to be left behind, and Harry figured Daphne would be pretty angry with him for leaving her as well. Soon the group was outside of the manor's wards and were holding a portkey Dumbledore had created.

"This portkey will get us within five miles of our destination." Dumbledore explained. "The area is heavily magical, and it makes apparation to that specific mountain impossible. The magic interferes with port keys as well. It is the closest I can get us. I've been there only once before, but was never able to discern why that was. Nor has anyone before, but I feel that we may find the answer tonight."

Dumbledore tapped his wand to the length of rope, and the group was gone.

X x x x x x x x

Miles above the ground, a large black shape thundered through the air at over mach one. The pilot was guiding his jet toward a target being 'painted' by French Special Forces, twenty kilometres south west of Chesterfield. His payload specialist was currently arming their two thousand pound Paveway III series Laser Guided Bombs. The weapons had been used with great success in the Persian Gulf War only five years prior.

The pilot slowed his Tornado G4, to attack speed. The only thing they were told, is that the large house was a terrorist stronghold, and they were under orders to destroy it. The pilot, Captain MacMillan knew it must be very serious, if the frogs were getting involved.

MacMillan was broken from him thoughts when he was given the go ahead to drop his ordinance. The target was locked and acquired. His co-pilot released the four bombs they were carrying and the pair watched the target from fifty thousand feet. After what seemed like an eternity, but was actually only minutes later, they saw a white streak impact the large home from above, followed quickly by three more causing it to disappear behind an enormous plume of smoke and flames.

MacMillan thought eight thousand pounds of ordinance was a bit excessive, but figured the military wanted to take no chances. Their mission was accomplished. Captain MacMillan heaved his jet over, and returned to base. He and his co-pilot were ordered to never speak of the sortie they just flew.

They were completely unaware that they had just reduced Lestrange manor to flaming rubble, taking Bellatrix and ten other death eaters with it. The idiot death eaters were so confident in themselves, that they hadn't even bothered to place the home under a Fidelius, only setting up more aggressive means of protection. None of which protected against muggle attacks from the air.

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Notes!: Well here we are. I might have another chapter up later today or tomorrow. As for the air strike. The Crown doesn't fuck around.

Also, I've taken the first steps in suing the pants off the drug company who made that poison called Reglan.


	34. Lady of the Lake

Chapter Thirty Three

Lady of the Lake

The wind was blowing upon the moor in the Black Mountains. The skies were over cast, and glowing an ominous pale orange. Power seemed to charge the very air, keeping all manner of living creatures away. The land was the intersection of several of the most ancient lay lines. It was a sacred land that no dark creature could set foot upon. It's ambient magic eclipsed even that of the sacred circle known as Stonehenge.

A group suddenly appeared seemingly out of thin air, in the middle of Brecon Beacons National Park, exactly five miles due east of their destination. The group would have looked rather odd to your average person hiking through the park in the middle of the day. It was nearing the twenty-third hour however, so not another soul could be found.

Not a word was said, as the boy with raven hair silently lead the way toward the west. The others with him followed silently behind odd sticks in hand. The beautiful blond haired young woman followed the closest, peering at the raven haired boy with worry etched across her face. A tall very old looking man, with a long white beard and long white hair followed last, seemingly scanning the surrounding area for threats. Ahead of him, a substantially younger man with long black hair followed the two young ones ahead. He too was scanning for threats while keeping an eye on his charges ahead of him.

Overhead, a flash of fire appeared revealing a beautiful scarlet and gold phoenix. The bird circled the group, drawing in the magical power of the land. While the group of odd looking people below him were on the look out for threats, the majestic bird knew there none around, and his master was quite safe. One might ask, why his master and his mistress didn't simply use his abilities to reach their destination. The answer was simple really. For on this night, none but his master and his soul mate could approach the lake known as Llyn Y Fan Fawr. This was a journey his master himself had to take when he returned to the mortal world.

The bird watched his master walk toward his destination at a brisk pace for over an hour before he neared the sacred lake. Suddenly the to older men of the group found themselves held back by an invisible barrier, and could go no further. They cried out for the young couple to stop, but the young man kept going. His soul mate looked back at the adults in apprehension, and gave pause. She looked back to her love, and continued after him. The two were soon out of sight of the very worried adults.

X x x x x x x x x x

Sirius and Dumbledore were frantic. They'd lost sight of Harry and Daphne not long after they were stopped by an invisible barrier. Dumbledore had tried all manner of magics to try and break through, but was unsuccessful. It was impossible for him to even detect the magic that seemed to be holding them back. He was at a complete loss, and was now very worried.

"Fawkes!" Dumbledore called out, and an instant later, a flash of fire appeared overhead. His familiar flew a lazy circle around them before landing softly on Dumbledore's shoulder.

"My friend I'm afraid the Potters may be in grave danger." he said to his phoenix urgently. "We've been separated, and are unable to advance any further. I fear their lives may be in danger. Could you please retrieve them and bring them back here to safety?"

Fawkes just looked at him before he began to groom himself. Dumbledore frowned at his stubborn familiar. "Please Fawkes, they may be in grave danger. They are out there alone, and need our protection. Please bring them back here to safety." Dumbledore pleaded.

Fawkes just shook his head, and gazed toward where the two teens had been last seen. He began to sing softly, bringing a sense of peace to the two worried men.

"Albus?" Sirius said. "Why isn't Fawkes listening to you? They could be ambushed out there!"

Dumbledore thought for a long moment before turning to Sirius. " It could be that Fawkes doesn't believe them to be in any danger."

Fawkes chirped in agreement.

Sirius sputtered, looking incredulous. "But they're alone! How can they not be in any danger?"

Fawkes ruffled his feathers as he glared at the Marauder for questioning his judgment.

"I think Fawkes believes they are safe with Mobius. To be honest, I hadn't even noticed their phoenix had appeared, but Fawkes said Mobius has been circling over our very heads since we portkeyed in."

Fawkes trilled several notes while looking Dumbledore in the eye.

"While I do not have the connection with Fawkes that Harry has with Mobius, I can understand him enough to know he thinks this is something Harry and Daphne must do without us."

"That doesn't do much to reassure me Albus." said Sirius.

Fawkes threw another glare at the mangy mutt.

X x x x x x x x x

Daphne was afraid. She and Harry had been separated from Sirius and Dumbledore, and were alone in what she thought to be a very spooky place. The cool wind was blowing across the grassy hills around them. It was dark, but the clouds were eerily glowing. It was a far cry from the clear warm night in the Lake District.

Harry hadn't said a word since they'd left Black Manor, and had simply started walking when they landed. When she heard Dumbledore and Sirius call after them, she had looked back to see that they couldn't go any farther. Looking back toward Harry, she saw him continue on as if he hadn't heard them. Not wanting to leave him alone, she followed silently after him. She was reassured by the sight of Mobius circling overhead so she said nothing to Harry. She did keep her wand in hand just in case, as she looked around for any threats.

X x x x x x x x

Harry and Daphne soon arrived at the lake shore just before midnight. Daphne noticed right away that the winds had died down, and they were now in dead calm weather. She stood beside Harry, who seemed to be staring intently out onto the surface of the lake. She didn't dare say anything for she feared what might happen if she did.

Suddenly, as midnight struck, the surface of the water began to ripple near the centre. Quickly the ripple turned into a gentle wake that made it's way toward them slowly. Daphne tried to raise her wand, but was stopped by Harry who gently grasped her wrist. Mrs. Potter stood a little closer to her husband as an object broke the surface of the water. It looked like the top of a large stick was periscoping out of the water.

As the object rose out of the water, another shape broke the surface beside it. It looked like the head of a person. Daphne could see a pale face framed by, amazingly dry black hair. It was a woman. As the woman rose from the water as she stepped toward the shore, Harry and Daphne saw that she was holding a staff. Daphne looked over at Harry and she could see recognition in his eyes.

The unknown woman was wearing an ancient looking white dress. Looking at her close, Daphne could make out the hilt of a sword behind her back. The woman stopped in ankle deep water, and smiled at them both.

Looking at Harry she said, "Welcome back to the mortal plane Myrddin. I have waited many years for your return. I am overjoyed to see that you have found your soul mate once again. I am Nyneve, or 'The Lady of The Lake' as I am known to muggles and magicals alike."

"The Lady…" Harry trailed off in disbelief. "That means you.."

"Presented King Arthur with Excalibur? Yes I did." Nyneve answered with a smile. She looked over at Daphne. "I was also entrusted by you with Myrddin's staff. I return it to you Myrddin - Harry." she finished while holding the staff out for Harry to take.

Tentatively Harry reached forward and grasped the staff with his left hand. As soon as his hand made contact, he felt a jolt surge through his body as Mobius began to sing. Like Merlin's wand, when he took hold of the staff, it felt as though he were home after a very long trip.

"I know that you've already summoned your wand in a time of great need. You are living in very dark times, but they will not last much longer. The end of the Dark Lord is near, but you must not relent. You must not let your guard down for even a moment." said Nyneve peering into Harry's eyes.

Harry nodded his head quickly in response, as Daphne squeezed his arm in a show of support.

"Soon those anchors which make the Dark One immortal shall be destroyed. Tonight, we must rid you of the fragment you carry within you. To do this, I shall need to cleanse you in thee very waters. Your wife shall be needed as well."

"What do I have to do?" Daphne asked, speaking for the very first time.

"First, you must first remove all that which hides your natural forms." Nyneve said.

Harry looked confused, while Daphne blushed. "Oh… OH!" said Harry, finally realizing what the Lady of the Lake meant.

The Potters looked at each other for a moment before looking back at Nyneve.

"Do not worry. No one shall disturb us this night." she told the young couple reassuringly.

Harry and Daphne hesitated for a moment before removing their clothes. Once they were done, they looked to Nyneve for further instruction.

"Now, step into the water, and walk forward until I tell you to stop." Nyneve said walking backward, allowing the Potters, who were holding hands tightly, to step into the surprisingly warm waters. Once Harry was waist deep in water, Daphne being up to her mid abdomen, they were told to stop.

"I shall begin the chanting." said Nyneve. "You must focus on your love for each other. Only on your love. Delve deep into it. Surround yourselves in it completely. Draw your strength…..Drink of it…."

Nyneve's voice seemed to fade into a distant echo, as the world around Harry and Daphne faded away to black, leaving only them. They looked deeply into each other's eyes, and drew closer together. Daphne wrapped her arms around his neck as he drew her in close and pressed his lips to hers. As their lips met, the blackness that had surrounded them turned into the purest white. It were as though they were surrounded by the purest clouds.

Without thinking, Harry dropped to his knees, bringing Daphne with him causing her to straddle his lap. Their kisses begame much more passionate and heated, as their hands began to wander. Daphne reached down between them and took hold of him. She began to grin herself on him as she gently stroked his member.

Lifting her self she positioned herself over him, and in one quick movement, she impaled herself. They both shouted out together as she did, but not from pain, but pure ecstasy they they'd never experienced before. In the back of Harry's mind, he could faintly hear some one screaming. Possibly in agony, at the moment, he didn't give a rat's ass.

Daphne ground herself onto him faster and faster as Harry raised his hips to meet her. They could both feel it approaching as they shared their love. Harry was vaguely aware of pressure where his car was. It was much like some one pressing down very hard, but at the same time as though the area had been numbed and was now being cut open. He was far to occupied with his beautiful wife to care. They were both too focused on their love.

Faster and faster they moved until they could both no longer hold it in. Suddenly their world exploded in light and pure unrivalled ecstasy and bliss as they both shouted out at the top of their lungs. Their vision faded, and warm, peaceful darkness claimed them.

What felt like an instant later, Harry came back to the conscious world. He could feel himself lying on something soft and warm. He was also covered by what felt like a blanket. He immediately recognized Daphne cuddled against his side, her head upon his chest. As he opened his eyes, he saw her hair before looking up and seeing a smiling Nyneve looking down at them.

Daphne had opened her eyes at the same time, and had also seem Nyneve smiling at them. The couple quickly sat up, and both attempted to cover up as best they could. They remembered what they had done, and were mortified. Nyneve laughed at their embarrassment.

"All is well Harry, Daphne." Nyneve said with a smile. "You did exactly as you were suppose to. Now get dressed, I have more to tell you, and not much time to do so. The fragment of the Dark Lord's soul no longer resides in your body." Harry instinctively reached up and felt his scar. He didn't feel much of anything. If he hadn't been looking for something there, he doubted he'd have felt anything at all. Daphne gasped as she looked at where his famous scar once was.

"I can't see anything there anymore." she said happily hugging him. They quickly remembered that they were still naked, with only a blanket covering them.

Looking next to them, they found their clothes folded next to them neatly. Looking back at Nyneve, they saw she'd turned around to give them some privacy, for which they were both extremely grateful. Quickly dressing, Nyneve turned to them the instant they were both done.

"I have presented you with what is rightfully yours Harry. Your staff." said Nyneve. "Now I present you with Excalibur." she removed the scabbard from her back and presented it to Harry. "When your battle with the Dark Lord is done, simply bring it back here, and throw it into these waters, as was done so long ago."

He was speechless as he took the sword from her. He carefully drew the sword from it's leather and examined it. It was reminiscent of Roman Cavalry long swords, except the guard was a legionary eagle and looked as it were made of gold. It still possessed the distinctive pommel which Roman blades carried. The hilt's grip was made of what looked to be ivory. The pommel had sapphires round it's entire circumference at the widest point. Hw could not believe he was actually holding such a legendary sword. The benefit of this sword, is that no one knew what it looked like.

"It is a very powerful sword. More powerful than the Sword of your ancestor, Godric Gryffindor." Nyneve said.

"But The sword of Gryffindor has Basilisk venom in the blade." Harry said.

"As does Excalibur." The Lady of the Lake said with a smile. "One last before I go. Your cave is beyond this lake at the base of Fan Brycheining, the very mountain behind me. Your previous vessels are there, in permanent preservation. You, Daphne, with the help of the very phoenix who guards you both encased Myrddin's body in crystal, ensuring it would last for all time. The same was done for you when you passed on, using the last of your magic and life force to join your love once your tasks were complete. There are also very rare works, and journals. I suggest you both find the cave and explore it at a future date, when the darkness has fallen. Now I must go. May your lives be happy and fruitful."

Nyneve turned and walked slowly into the waters from which she came. Harry and Daphne watched her until she could no longer be seen. Harry slung Excalibur over his shoulder before turning to Daphne and pulling her into his arms.

"I can't wait till this is all over." Harry mumbled into her hair.

"Nor can I my love." said Daphne in response. "Come," she said pulling back and grasping his hand, "I'm sure Sirius and Dumbledore are beside themselves. Let's get back to them so we can go home and rest."

"Yes, milady." Harry said with a smile as he allowed her to lead the way back.

X x x x x x x

Needless to say, Sirius was less than happy about what had happened, until it was revealed that the Horcrux in his scar had been destroyed. Dumbledore had asked them to tell him exactly how it had been destroyed, but when they blushed, he chuckled and said that it was perhaps better not knowing. Both were amazed that they had encountered the fabled "Lady of the Lake" and that she had presented Harry, not only with Merlin's Staff, but the legendary Excalibur.

Harry had quickly decided to allow Daphne to carry the smaller and lighter Sword of Gryffindor, while he carried Excalibur, as it was much larger and heavier. She made no objections to this, and the couple soon retired for the night.

X x x x x x x x

"What do you have to report Severus?" Dumbledore asked Snape the next morning in his office.

"The Dark Lord once again fell unconscious last night." Severus said with a smirk. "Only this time he screamed like a woman under the Cruciatus for several minutes before doing so. He has been growing weaker and weaker since the Potters wed, and it had accelerated since you've been destroying his Horcuxes, though I am sure he is unaware of you doing so."

"Very good." said Dumbledore with a smile. "With the- unfortunate demise of Bellatrix Lestrange, Lord Black has claimed her vaults as she had no living heir, and was still a member of the Black family. The cup has been located and destroyed."

"Yes," said Snape, "The Dark Lord is unaware of this. A clever ruse to have Gringotts list the vault as idle and unclaimed. Because of this, he believes the cup is safe for now. He does have a plan to attack the bank sometime in the future using numerous dark creatures to steal the cup, but since he is of the mind that Gringotts has frozen the the Lestrange vaults, attacking it would be a waste of resources. Also, the Dark Lord has tasked Draco Malfoy with a task. Narcissa, and Bellatrix called by my home yesterday evening. Cissa asked me to help Draco with his task. Bellatrix tried to goad me into an unbreakable vow. She was unsuccessful. We did get into a-tussle, but nothing I couldn't handle. I have yet to give Cissa an answer. If Draco were to meet an unfortunate end, I would not greave for the little shit."

"Now Severus, perhaps there is still a chance he can be redeemed." Dumbledore said.

"Perhaps, but unlikely." replied Severus with a grimace. 'The boy is too much like his father, and now with his father gone, the brat will do anything to prove he deserves to be the head of House Malfoy. I fear of what he may do. I can only hope that he will not target any of the students, especially the Slytherins."

"Perhaps we can use this to our advantage. Minister Bones has informed me that the Her Majesty, has pledged the British Armed Forces in the fight against Voldemort. So have the French, now that Eugene Delacour is their new Minister. Mr. Potter made a powerful ally the day he saved young Gabrielle. The death of Bellatrix was evidence of that."

"How so Headmaster?" Severus asked, clearly confused.

"Bellatrix, along with ten other death eaters were killed using muggle methods." said Dumbledore. "Four large bombs, each weighing over nine hundred kilograms, were dropped from an aircraft at fifty thousand feet up. The very large creator left behind is a testament to the ingenuity and power of muggles and their weapons. I dare say, Voldemort can expect more."

"I don't think the Dark Lord suspects muggle methods were used." Snape said. "With the incident last night involving whatever Potter was doing, and the destruction of Lestrange Manor, I believe he suspects Potter and his wife had a direct hand in it's destruction, considering the raw power they both demonstrated in the Ministry's Atrium."

Dumbledore chucked.

"What should I do with Draco? His task is to kill you."

"Agree to help him. We can use this, as I said." the Headmaster ordered. "We may be able to set an ambush to lure Voldemort here for a final showdown. You along with the other heads, shall draw up plans to quickly evacuate the school when the time comes. I have a rough plan in mind. Nothing solid. Keep an eye on Mr. Malfoy when the new term begins in three weeks. The most likely way for him to do this would be to allow death eaters into these walls. Perhaps…." Dumbledore trailed off as he stood and walked over to his pensieve looking contemplative.

"Yes- Help him Severus." Dumbledore continued. "If things go to plan, the war may be over before Christmas at the earliest."

"Of course headmaster." Snape said with a slight bow before leaving to contact Narcissa Malfoy.

Dumbledore turned to the fireplace and flooed to the 'Dog House' to discuss the rough plan with Harry. He just hoped Harry wouldn't do anything rash in regards to Draco Malfoy. What Dumbledore didn't know, is that Draco's fate would not be decided by Harry…

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Note: Okay. I know it's been a while, but real life catches up with you. A few more chapters, probably no more than five, if even that many. They will probably be long ones too. Anyway, read and review. As always, no flames, and don't be a douche. If you think you can do better then write your own damn story THIS is MY story and hobby, and no this isn't a 'Fail Story'. You know who you are. Obviously a great many things were lost on you. *sigh*

To everyone else who had been supportive, I wish to give you all my deepest heartfelt thanks. It means a lot to me.

-Live Long and Prosper.


	35. Where I've Been Where I'm Going

Note: I've made a minor change to the end of the last chapter to write myself out of the corner I wrote myself into.

Chapter Thirty Four -Where I've Been. Where I'm Going.

Harry sat out on what had become his favorite seat on the eastern first floor ivy shaded porch of the 'Dog House' as the sun peaked out over the horizon. Next to him, Mobius sat perched serenely, also looking at the beautiful gold, reds, and even violets of the early morning sunrise, which could remind one of the majestic bird's plumage.

"So explain to me again this whole rebirth thing." Harry said to Mobius, never taking his eyes off the sun's slow battle with the remaining night. "I mean, I'm grateful at the second chance, but why me? Why not some one.."

'_Do you think this is only the second time you've lived young one?' _Mobius cut him off, inner voice chuckling in amusement.

"You mean I've lived more than just twice?" Harry asked his familiar looking shocked.

"_Your soul has. Amongst those living in this world, yours is one of the oldest. Your soul was born to some of the first humans to perform magic." _Mobius explained_. _

"_The older a soul is," _He continued, _"the more powerful it becomes. There are even souls amongst the Muggles that have lived numerous times. A George S. Patton comes to mind. He was once a Roman Legionary General who fought Hannibal at the battle of Zama. His past gave him an edge over the German known as Rommel when they dueled in the same lands that once saw Carthaginian and Roman armies in all their might marching to and fro."_

"Just how many times have I lived?" Harry asked.

"_This is the thirty-third time your soul has blessed this world with it's presence." _said the Phoenix as he began to groom himself.

Harry found himself slightly annoyed by Mobius' actions. The bird was acting like it were an everyday occurrence that some one is reborn to try it again. Pausing to think, and nearly slapping himself, he could see how this would be no big deal to a Phoenix.

Mobius abruptly stopped grooming his wings and looked over at Harry in amusement.

"_Do you understand now?" _he asked his human, as a smile colored his inner voice's tone.

"I think so." said Harry, looking pensive.

"_Your soul was tied to the Empire built by the Romans ever since it was but a village on the Tiber River. It's kings, various proconsuls, and later Caesars, looked to you for guidance. The Republic, then Empire stagnated when you were gone and expanded whilst it was alive in a corporeal body." _Mobius said as he returned to his grooming.

"Then how did the Empire eventually fall if my soul was helping them so much?" Harry asked in confusion.

"_Myrddin, was born again at the very end of the Western Empire." _said the Phoenix, never stopping his grooming.

"_By then, even with all of his power, he could not have saved them. They were undone by their own corruption and greed leading to many civil wars which divided and weakened them. His path had also diverged from theirs anyway. His destiny was to lay the foundations for the rest of the world. The Eastern Empire, or Byzantines, had their own magical council which could do little more than give them more time. Had he been so linked to the East as he been with the West, the invading Arabs, and later Ottomans would have stood little chance, and the Byzantine Empire might have still existed instead of the Ottoman Empire. But as I said, his path had diverged."_

Mobius stopped and gave Harry time to process this information for several minutes before continuing.

"_Would you like me to continue?" _he asked.

Harry looked up at Mobius with a start. "erm.. Yes please. This is all very fascinating. I'm sure Hermione's head would be spinning right now if she knew all of this. She's as much into history as I am. I only wish Professor Binns wasn't do damn boring."

Mobius chuckled as he continued. _"As I was saying, your soul's path had diverged. You fought as a young General for a nobleman in your last life. For your courage and invaluable service, you were offered the hand of said nobleman's daughter. The woman who would be reborn in this life as your wife. While her soul is not nearly as old as yours, it did see a few different Roman eras"_

Dobby popped in to set up the breakfast cart before saying. "Mistress Daphne is still asleep as it is only 6:30 in the morning Master Harry Potter sir. But Master must eat."

"Thank you Dobby." said Harry. Dobby then bowed and popped away.

At that moment Harry's faithful owl made and appearance as she landed on the back of the chair next to Harry, opposite Mobius. She looked down at the bacon and then expectantly at Harry. With a chuckle, Harry served Hedwig several strips of bacon and a banger which she dug into with a fervor before he served himself a cup of coffee.

Mobius continued with the history lesson. _"That nobleman's line through his son, eventually gave rise to the house of Wessex and Alfred the Great more than one hundred years later. That poor Muggle king was wrought with the ailment now known to Muggle healers as Crohn's Disease. His sorcerers could do little but ease his pain, and even they could not help him as he died." _Mobius said as he shook his head sadly before he continued.

"_Your destiny however, was to help the now legendary King Arthur who's noble family was of Roman decent. With your council, he was victorious at the Battle of Mynydd Baddon. Ironic really. _

_You marry a daughter who's family eventually comes to rule as Anglo-Saxons, while you as Myrddin helped the very same family prevent their early expansion for many decades. Political marriages can change everything it seems. You are directly descendant from Myrddin and Godric Gryffindor. _

_Your wife is distantly descendant from the House of Wessex, which is why they are so affluent in the magical world, but have made no claim in the Muggle world. Another magical child was born to the family before Athelstan became the first King Of England. They left the Muggle world completely during the reign of Edward the Elder, and through many generations eventually gave rise, through a daughter, to the House of Greengrass some five hundred years ago. _

_Your rival Draco Malfoy would have an aneurysm if he knew exactly how much older your wife's magical line is than his own. The line that unfortunately gave birth to the Malfoy line began with a Muggle-born as well. They were Muggle peasants in the Flanders region and of French decent by the name of Foy. A cunning family member relocated to the isles and through deception, cunning and more than a little back stabbing they gained influence and added an M-A-L to their name. Fitting really. Bad-Foy is what the name amounts to. They've been a family of slim balls ever since." _Mobius finished in mild disgust.

Harry had to laugh as pictured Draco scooping out horse manure with a pitchfork.

"When did they become magical?" Harry asked still chuckling.

"_That family did not become magical until well after the founding of Hogwarts. Around 1410AD, I believe. As Headmaster of Hogwarts, your ancestor Edwin Geoffrey Potter and former head of Gryffindor House, had a run in with a recently graduated student one Theosus Malfoy, in his twilight years. Edwin was around the age of one hundred and forty-five in the year 1587AD. He was old and decrepit, but still managed to spank Theosus like the impudent child he was with a borrowed wand and little effort." _Mobius said proudly.

"_It is one of the reasons the Malfoys hate Gryffindors and Potters so much. That, and they are and always have been quite feeble magically as where Gryffindors, and later Potters have always been quite imposing."_

"How do you know so much about my family history?" Harry asked.

"_I have always watched over your family line. I had been forbidden from interfering until your return by the one higher power, but it didn't say I couldn't watch and learn all I could." _said Mobius.

"How old are you anyway?" Harry asked Mobius as he looked over at Hedwig, who had fallen asleep, perched on the back of one of the four chairs on the porch.

Mobius looked down as though embarrassed before he spoke.

"_I have been around since the beginning of time as have my brothers. We were born of the great fire that created the universe. We had no forms other than pure magical fire until the arrival of man. I have witnessed many a great dying on this planet in my time. We survived through the many fires from the sky that once consumed this world, as we ourselves are fire."_

"Are you older than Fawkes?"

"_Almost infinitely so." _said Mobius. _"He was one of the first and very few Phoenixes to be born just after the arrival of modern man. Do you think these violet feathers on my head are an accident as where Fawkes' are gold?" _he finished while turning his head down to give Harry a better view of his regal crest feathers.

Harry blinked to which Mobius seemed to sigh before continuing.

"_Fawkes was born for one specific purpose. To aide mankind. His generation of Phoenixes are almost obligated to do so as they were born of the very man made fires that eventually helped give rise to great civilizations. _

_We are those who are usually tasked with defeating a dragon that has become corrupt, Dark dragons are a one of two mortal enemies. As is the Basilisk. It is why Fawkes so willing came to your aide in your second year. He would not have been able to kill the Basilisk, as he is not an Elder Battle Phoenix like myself, but he could look it in the eye without dying, allowing him to wound it. _

_Your battling and defeat of the Basilisk and dragon was no accident really. When a dragon is pure, the Phoenix lives in harmony with them. The dragon you faced was of the one breed that is inherently dark. Which is why they are the most vicious. The Basilisk however, is a perversion created by a dark wizard for dark purposes, and as such, is to be killed or at least battled on sight._

_You don't usually hear about Phoenix companions often because the humans they bond to, usually keep their partnerships secret until after their time together has ended. Most Phoenixes only stay with their humans until their duties are complete, and then move on. Fawkes in a rare case as he has grown quite attached to Albus Dumbledore. I think he just enjoys the various Muggle treats Albus gives him on occasion." _Mobius said with laugh before continuing his tale.

"_You can count the total number of Phoenixes like Fawkes on two hands with three fingers left over. My generation however, numbers only three. Several others have been born throughout time from fires that have given birth to or destroyed this planet. Fawkes and his generation cannot remain in the form of fire indefinitely, but my brothers and I, those far older than he and his, can. _

_We chose to take this form in order to assist humans as well, but like any body, these bodies get old and must regenerate, hence our burnings. I returned to this corporeal form when you were born, but again, I was forbidden to interfere as you were given tasks by the creator to strengthen you. To prove to yourself that you had it within you to do what needs to be done. I returned to you, as you know, when you finally joined with your wife as one."_

Harry sat in quiet contemplation as he went over everything that Mobius had told him until Daphne walked out onto the porch to join him. She was still rubbing sleep from her eyes and she smiled at him and kissed him before sitting next to Harry to serve herself breakfast.

"How long have you been awake?" she asked stifling a yawn.

"About an hour." Harry answered as he watched her adoringly. "I woke up and came out here to watch the sunrise. Mobius was already out here. He's been giving me a very informative and sometimes amusing history lesson. Do you want to hear it?"

Daphne looked over at him and gave him a sleepy smile before she answered.

"When I've woken up for the day." she said. "I'm still rather sleepy. You tend to wear me out when we are in the act of coitus Mr. Potter."

Harry blushed a little at this, but also felt immensely proud of himself, as any man would.

"I've had more energy since we got rid of that Horcrux in my head." he said with a smile.

To Daphne Mobius' next exchange with Harry sound like nothing more than a trill. To Harry, it was clear as English.

"_Your added physical energy comes from the fact that the Horcrux was a constant drain on your magical core." _said Mobius, to with Harry paled.

"_Don't worry young one." _Mobius continued with a chuckle.

"_The drain, while constant, was negligible and didn't affect your magical abilities for your age. It actually made you more powerful, as your core was constantly in use. The damage he has done to his own soul has also affected his magical potential however. Your magic is tied to your very soul. Had he not begun to desecrate his soul starting at a young age, he would have been easily able to defeat Albus Dumbledore. _

_Had he simply bided his time, and gained experience, he would be far more powerful than you headmaster today. As it is, had you not dueled him yourselves several months ago, it would have been up to Dumbledore. He would have been dueled to a draw, and only because Dumbledore would not have unleashed himself. _

_He would have foolishly dueled him without aiming to kill, as he knows he cannot die yet, but had Dumbledore ever decided to let loose, in his current inhuman state, Riddle would not stand a chance compared to Albus' already formidable strength and experience coupled with the Elder Wand. _

_While magically Riddle is still much more powerful than Dumbledore, but Albus makes up for that in raw knowledge and talent. Riddle would have been your equal the same way Albus is currently equal to Riddle had he not virtually destroyed his soul._

_Your wife was able to stand against him because, while powerful but not yet as powerful as Riddle or Dumbledore, he underestimated her abilities and she has more finesse than even you do. Because of your training, she could easily best Minerva McGonagall or Severus Snape, especially in terms of magical strength with more room to grow. _

_Voldemort, while highly skilled in various branches of magic, is also far from a Master Duelist. He has a little talent, but it doesn't take much of said talent to throw around unforgivables like candy on Muggle Halloween. It takes much more skill to survive such an encounter." _Mobius finished with a sigh at the thought that such potential had been wasted with Riddle.

Daphne had seen Harry pale, and at her questioning, Harry explained to her what his phoenix had told him.

"Well," she said as she took a bite of buttered toast. "That's a good thing for me that you have more physical energy as well now isn't it? Class dismissed then?"

Mobius let out a trill that was clearly laughter as Harry shook his head with a smile.

X x x x x x x x x

The Hogwarts Express steamed northward as it has for generations to bring the children of the British Magical World back to the ancient place of learning, or to deliver new fresh young minds to a knew world of learning.

Harry and company were currently crowding a compartment near the center of the train. Most of the compartments occupants were chatting away. All except Harry Potter. He sat quietly looking out the window deep in thought. He was thinking on the groups trip to Diagon Alley and what he had seen. Draco Malfoy and his mother walking into Knockturn Alley and into Brogan and Burke's.

He was thinking on the risky plan that Dumbledore had concocted in order for the war to end before the conclusion of the school year in the hopes that Harry can have one normal year at school. The Headmaster had dropped hints several times that he would name Harry Head Boy along with Miss Granger as Head Girl.

When he'd asked why not Daphne, she interrupted the Headmaster's response by saying she wouldn't have wanted to be head girl anyway. It was too much responsibility and she just wanted to enjoy her final year at Hogwarts as a normal, all be it married, student.

Dumbledore had asked Harry not to tell anyone else of the plan. He'd protested, but saw the logic behind the Headmaster's request. When Daphne had noticed something was on his mind, she'd asked him, but he told her he couldn't reveal what it was at Dumbledore's request. She wasn't happy about it at all, but she too accepted that she would have to trust Harry and the Headmaster.

Another thing on his mind, was the appointing of the greasy git of an oversized bat, Professor Snape, to the position of Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher. Harry had accompanied Dumbledore to try to convince Horace Slughorn to return. Not for any information the headmaster might had needed, but because qualified potions masters were exceedingly difficult to come by. Dumbledore had also handed Harry a very worn book on Advanced Potions telling him to use it well.

Had luck not been on their side, Dumbledore would have used Slughorn's return as a chance to gain more information about Tom's Horcruxes. He still might, in order to give himself piece of mind that his suspicions about the number Tom created is correct. But for now, he is certain that seven is the correct number which would leave six down, and one to go. The Snake.

The headmaster had informed him that Voldemort had attempted a dark ritual when he attacked Susan Bones' parents, but that the ritual had failed. Harry was saddened by the loss of the Hufflepuff's parents, leaving her with only her Aunt, Amelia Bones.

Madam Bones had recently been elected Minister and made sweeping changes to the Ministry's various Departments. One of which was appointing Arthur Weasley as the Head of the Department of Law Enforcement. Rufus Scrimgeour had turned down the promotion in favor of staying on the front lines of the war as head of the Auror Office.

There had also been an unsuccessful attack on the home of Amelia Bones before she had been elected Minister. The wards took a toll on the attacking forces, and the Death Eaters, along with Voldemort had been unable to breach them before Aurors came pouring onto the scene.

Unfortunately, no less than 21 Aurors fell to Voldemort's forces, most killed by the Dark Lord himself, compared to only four junior Death Eaters. It was a heavy blow to the Auror force as those numbers could not be replaced very quickly, even with putting the trainees on the front line.

The only bright spot was that Amelia and Susan had already made their escape before the Aurors arrived.

Harry Daphne and Astoria found themselves in Professor Slughorn's compartment along with several other students and prospects for the "Slug Club". Ginny also found herself amongst the group as while on her way back from the loo, she had been caught by the Professor casing her "Most impressive" Bat-Bogey Hex on Zacharias Smith when the idiot wouldn't stop pestering her for information about the battle at the Ministry.

Professor Slughorn was digging into his cold pheasant, as he spoke about how she taught Marcus Belby's uncle years back. He then turned his attention to what he no doubt saw as his new "Crown Jewel" couple.

"So, Mrs. Potter," he began "I read you gave you-know-who as shellacking at the Ministry at the end of last term. I must say I was most impressed by you and your husband's performance from the description in the Quibbler. Not that I usually read that publication. The words hardly do your abilities justice. It was the picture that said it all. I can't imagine what must have been going through the minds of the both of you as you faced the most dangerous wizard since the time of Merlin."

Harry shifted a little when Professor Slughorn mentioned his past incarnation as Daphne cast him a sidelong glance before she spoke.

"That you Professor." she said as she bowed her head slightly. "The only thing that was going through my mind was; that I had to protect Harry at all costs. It nearly cost me my magic in doing so. I like to think it was simply because I had something to fight for as where Voldemort," she ignored the flinches from most of the compartment's occupants, "didn't other than gaining power. He is nothing but an idiot that lets the fact that he never had a hug twist him into something that is no longer human."

Only Daphne, Harry, Hermione, Neville and Ginny did not flinch at her casual use of Voldemort's name.

"Yes, well," Slughorn continued when he'd recovered his wits. "It was a very brave you two did no doubt about it. I look forward to having you both in class."

He turned to Hermione, Neville and Ginny. "I understand you three were also there. Put up a very good fight against the Death Eaters, and even managed to take a few out permanently. I personally feel much safer with you lot out around."

The compartment door door slid open to reveal a new arrival. It was Luna.

"Hello everyone." she said in her usual dreamy voice. "I'm sorry I'm late, but there seems to be a rather large Nargle infestation on board. The young girl that delivered my invitation was sputtering at me a while before she managed to tell me why she sought me out. I think she might have been frightened of me for some reason. Her eyes were wide the entire time."

"Hey Luna" said Harry.

"Ah! Miss Lovegood." the Professor said jovially." Come in, come in have a seat. You're just in time."

Luna offered her thanks before she took seat next to Neville.

"We were just talking about the impressive exploits of you and you friends." Slughorn said with a smile. " I see now why you all make a very formidable bunch. There are seven of you, and that is a very lucky and magical number. When used for the right reason of course." he added at the end.

X x x x x x x x x

Later as the Welcoming feast neared it's end, Harry once again looked over at the Hufflepuff table and saw Susan Bones only just holding her self together. Harry, having a tendency to be an emotional masochist, blamed himself for not being there to do something.

Sighing, Harry looked over at Luna at the Ravenclaw table. She was still keeping mostly to herself, but the other Claws seemed to be an awe of her. Many seemed to be looking at her with a new found respect because of her actions at the Ministry the previous year.

The atmosphere was much more subdued with the threat of old Modlyshorts and his Death Munchers, as well as the constant presence of numerous Aurors patrolling the halls and grounds.

Harry was broken from his train of thought by the headmaster standing behind his ornate podium. Harry could clearly see Dumbledore's faux injury on his right hand.

"A very good evening to you all." the headmaster said. "First off, let me introduce the newest member of our staff, Horace Slughorn." he paused for the obligatory round of applause as Slughorn .

"Professor Slughorn, I'm happy to say has agreed to resume his old post, as potions master. Meanwhile, the post of Defense Against the Dark Arts will be taken by Professor Snape."

This was meet with gasps of disbelief from every table except Slytherin. Dumbledore continued when the applause from Slytherin died down.

"As you know, each and every one of you was search upon your arrival here tonight, and you have the right to know why."

Most of the student body listened intently by this point.

"Once, there was a young man, who like you; sat in this very hall, walked this castle's corridors, slept under it's roof. He seemed to all the world a student, like any other. His name; Tom Riddle. Today of course, he's known all over the world by another name. Which is why, as I stand looking out upon you all tonight I'm reminded of a sobering fact. Everyday, every hour, this very minute perhaps dark forces attempt to penetrate this castle's walls. But in the end, their greatest weapon is you. Just something to think about. Now off to bed! Pip pip!"

"That was cheerful." Neville commented sardonically as the group of friends made their way to their respective dormitories.

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A/N: I'm back for now. I had gotten a horrible case of writer's block. As I said before, I made a minor change to the end of the last chapter to get out of the corner I felt I wrote myself into. The death of Delores Umbitch was inspired by a scene from the movie 'American Me'. I also figured I'd give more back story and a history lesson or sorts. Hopefully it didn't bore you all like Professor Binns, but it is a start as I am starting to feel the creating juices flowing again. I did A LOT of reading of history to try to get my creative spark back. If it turns out it sucks, I'll just scrap this chapter and try again, but it was incredibly hard to get this onto the screen…

I have also not been feeling very well which means…. I HAVEN'T EVEN BEEN ABLE TO SEE THE DEATHLY HALLOWS IN THEATERS! FML!

Now a word to the unregistered G Fawkes. Not Guy Fawkes, but simply G. Fawkes.

Hem-hem! As to you being 'offended' by my use of the word 'cunt', STFU! I didn't call anyone a cunt in the story. It was used in the context that the kick Hermione gave Bulstrode was to her vagina. It is called a "cunt-punt". Not because the woman receiving is one, though you probably either have to be one to either receive one for being one, or be one to give one to an innocent girl for no reason at all. Try to follow THAT and not get a headache.

I would never call a woman that word, but also actually being offended by any given word simply give the word power over you, which is why most swear words have lost their potency in today's world. People have stopped giving the power by making them TABOO. Oh yeah, a Harry Potter reference when it comes to big scary words is in order here.

Also, hiding behind the first letter doesn't make it any better. Just FYI. It doesn't stop people from thinking it. When they see or hear "The C word" or "The N word" it puts the words in people's heads anyway. Saying only the first letter is getting away with saying the word. Grow a pair and take responsibility for the shitty words that come out your mouth or onto your screen.

When discussing it, and not using it as an insult, IT'S JUST A WORD! Grow the fuck up people! For more information, see Louie C.K. bit on "The N Word" or 'Words that offend". If you don't like it, G.F. go back and read your own post, and again, shut the fuck up and stop being such a juvenile.

"Live Long and Prosper" to the rest of you! -Edward


	36. Loss Of Innocence

Chapter Thirty Five: The Loss Of Innocence.

The first day of classes found the quartet of sixth years standing outside of the potions classroom in the cold damp dungeons of the Castle. Harry was surprised to find himself actually excited about potions for the first time in his Hogwarts career.

The four of them had just come from a rather irritating first Defense class with Snivellus. None of the four had uttered a word as they practiced nonverbal casting. A feat that would have earned them all points with any reasonable professor. As it was, Harry had already been given a detention for his cheek. Admittedly, he did mouth off to Snape a bit. It was rather clever if he did say so himself. It got a few chuckles from the other students, and more than a few gasps.

The only one whom had not been snarked at was Daphne, but being a Slytherin still didn't earn her points. Harry believed it was on mere principle seeing as she married a Potter and now carried his last name.

Soon enough they found themselves in the Potions classroom. Harry noticed that Ron was also continuing with Potions. He'd given Ginny a tip to discreetly pass on to Ron about the new professor letting in NEWT students with Exceeds Expectations. It would seem the message got through the youngest Weasley boy's thick skull.

As four of the "Ministry Seven", as the press and public began calling them, sat at their station, Professor Slughorn lectured them on the various cauldrons and the substances contained within each one.

"And now," Slughorn said bringing his lecture to an end "time for us to start our work."

"Sir, you haven't told us what's in that one." said Hermione, pointing at a small black cauldron sitting on Slughorn's desk. Harry could see the odd potion within splashing around almost merrily; it was like liquid gold, and large drops were leaping about, yet neigh a drop had spilled out.

"Oho!" exclaimed the professor. Harry felt that the man hadn't forgotten at all, but was simply waiting to be asked by someone for dramatic effect. Harry couldn't help roll his eyes a bit. Still, he'd been given the task of getting Slughorn to spill the beans about what he'd discussed with Tom Riddle so many years ago. If for nothing more than to put the aging wizard's mind at ease.

The Headmaster felt reasonably sure there were only seven Horcruxes, but he needed his conformation to be absolutely sure. At least it gave him something to do other than just Captaining the Quidditch Team.

He was startled out of his thoughts by Hermione exclaiming. "Liquid luck!"

He noticed that Daphne was giving him a questioning look, to which he shook his head, not meeting her eyes before he turned his attention back to the potions master.

"Yes, yes indeed Miss Granger. Two tablespoons with breakfast. Two perfect days. A simple sip, and all your endeavors succeed until the effects wear off. " Slughorn said, his eyes drifting to a far off place. No doubt thinking back on and old fond memory or two, or three Harry thought with a smirk.

"So!" Slughorn continued with a shake of his head. "This is what I offer you all today. One tiny vial of liquid luck to the student who manages to produce an acceptable Draught of Living Death within the hour. I should point out, however, that only once did a student manage to brew a potion of sufficient quality to claim this prize. Never the less, good luck to you all. Let the brewing commence!"

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Harry dodged right as a bolt of flame shot past his left shoulder, missing him by inches. He immediately raised a shield to absorb a bludgeoner before casting his own freezing hex followed by a binding spell. He wrist had actually been jolted a bit by the spell his shield stopped. Harry then shot off twelve rapid fire stunners at his opponent following it up with an expulso to the ground in front of his foe.

His opponent had really improved under Harry's tutelage, and had conjured several marble slabs to block Harry's powerful spells. In the end he had been knocked off his feet by the exploding ground in front of him and promptly stunned by "The Chosen One" .

Harry walked over to the downed boy and rennervated him. "Alright Neville?" he asked.

Neville had a smile on his face as he sat up. "That was brilliant." he said, a bit winded from his training duel with his best friend.

"I still need to work on my conditioning a bit." Neville continued, looking at the timer that stopped, as Harry helped him to his feet. " Did I really last twenty seven minutes against you, or did you let me last that long?"

"Actually Nev," Harry said "You were flinging curses at me so fast I spent more time dodging than casting back. A few of those spells I blocked with a shield kind of jarred my arm a bit. Keep this up Neville and you just might be McGonagall's replacement one day."

Neville looked down at the ground as he scuffed the ground with his toe as he replied, "Nah. If anyone would be in line to be the Gryffindor Head of House it's you. You'd also be a shoe-in for Headmaster. That is if you decide to be a professor. You'd be pretty good at it I think."

For really the first time Harry began to think about his future outside of his marriage to Daphne. He did enjoy teaching quite a bit. Last year's D.A. became almost a passion for him. It was gratifying, knowing he was teaching it's members how to survive a battle against dark witches and wizards alike. Yes, being a professor here at Hogwarts was definitely an attractive prospect.

"Wanna go another round Nev?" Harry asked once he brought himself out of that train of thought.

"Actually, I'm a bit knackered Harry." Neville said in a weary voice. "I've done twelve round with you today and am almost out of it. That last bout was by far the longest, but you don't even look like you've broken a sweat. You definitely won't need that Liquid Luck you won in Slughorn's class mate."

"Every little bit helps in time like these Nev." said Harry.

The sound of feminine grunting and clashing swords caught the attention of the two boys. Looking over to his right, Harry spied Hermione and Daphne in the middle of sparring. At the moment, they were fencing. Daphne, having been instructed the art of sword play since she was seven, was quite skilled and had been instructing both her husband, and the loving yet determined bookworm.

Mrs. Potter had begun tutoring Harry in the more elegant forms of combat since before their fourth year. She began teaching Hermione this past summer, and the beautiful brunette had picked up the art very quickly. She was far from a master, but would be able to survive a fight that came within melee range by surprising her opponent with the severing of an arm, leg or even head. If all else fails, a straight forward thrust to the gut will end a fight pretty quickly.

Harry and Neville stood back and watched as their women thrust and parried for several more minutes. Being men, the couldn't help but admire how the slacks seemed to accentuate the pair's "assets". They gave each other a grin before turning back to watch the mock battle.

They were surprised to find that Hermione had actually begun to push Daphne back on the defensive several times before the blond haired beauty would turn a mistake made by Hermione's inexperience into an offensive. Finally, with a cleaver feint, block and a graceful complete spin to her right, Daphne caught Hermione square in the chest, where her heart would be knocking her to the ground.

Winded, Hermione conceded defeat before she was helped to her feet by the victorious Slytherin.

"That was brilliant Hermione." Daphne praised. "You almost had me a few times there."

"Thanks." said Hermione.

She was cut off from saying anything further by loud applause and wolf calls from the two immature men in the room. The two women looked at each other and rolled their eyes.

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Astoria'd had a good two months in school thus far. It was now Halloween and she was currently on her way back from the Owlery after borrowing Hedwig to send her parents letters from her and her sister. She though back happily on what's happened this year so far.

She'd gone on her first Hogsmeade weekend just three and a half weeks prior. On a date no less! She was only thirteen so she wasn't expecting anything serious. It was her 'date' that surprised the rest of the "Ministry Seven". It also brought great amusement to her brother in law. She'd gone with a boy from her year, Dennis Creevey.

He was a cute muggle-born boy in her opinion. Ginny and Daphne had taken to teasing her endlessly about it. Now she knew how her older sister felt. She was mortified when the twins, who had made the trip to Hogsmeade to visit with Harry and Daphne, each put an arm around Dennis' shoulders and walked off with him to "Have a quick chat", leaving her alone at their small corner table in the Three Broomsticks.

To her further embarrassment, she had looked over to see her sister and Brother in Law seated a few tables away with Hermione, Neville, Luna and Ginny. Daphne appeared to be hyperventilating from her laughter while Harry was supporting her, grinning madly the entire time. Ginny had an evil smile on her face which caused Astoria's stomach to drop into her shoes. A look like that on Ginny's face only spelled trouble for her. Luna, as usual, looked serene while Neville looked embarrassed. Hermione was looking upon her with an amused smirk.

Only minutes later the twins had reappeared, with out Dennis. They gave her huge smiles and jaunty waves before rejoining the others at the table. Dennis appeared moments after looking pale and slightly shaken. He refused to tell her what they'd said to him, so she gave Fred and George her most venomous glare.

She'd gotten a bit of revenge on Ginny though. As she, Harry, and Neville were on their way back to the Common Room from the kitchen after setting up a prank for that git McLaggen, the three of them had stumbled on the red headed member of their group in a secret passage hidden behind a gaudy tapestry snogging Dennis' older brother Colin!

Neville and Harry immediately fell to the ground laughing. Ginny tried to bat-bogey hex them, but Harry's shield was impenetrable. That he could keep the damn thing raised while he was rolling on the ground laughing was amazing. The next day, Harry and Neville's hair and robes were pink the entire day. Though Harry could have changed it back in a moment, he decided to stay that way until the spell wore off to the amusement and horror of Daphne and Hermione respectively. They took the laughter from the other students in stride. Harry'd even added tiny, red, animated hearts to their robes, which Professor Dumbledore complimented them on.

Ginny had pranked Astoria by slipping a potion into her lunchtime pumpkin juice that changed her voice into something reminiscent of that bloke Kingsley Shacklebolt for the rest of the day and into the next morning. Astoria thought people's reactions to the voice coming from the mouth of a girl who stood only four feet- ten inches tall was worth it.

Professor Flitwick fell off his stack of books when he called on her for an answer and she replied in her bass like voice. The down side is that it put Dennis off from snogging that evening. She was still planning revenge on Ginny for that one.

The Hogsmeade visit wasn't all fun and humiliation. Katie Bell had touched a cursed necklace and had been rushed to St. Mungos. A boy named Dean Thomas had taken her place on the Quidditch team. Unfortunately McLaggen was starting Keeper while Ron Weasley was the Reserve.

Astoria was walking through an empty second floor corridor which had the odd suit of armor, on her way to the hallway at the other end which held a shortcut to the grand stair case when she stopped and looked behind her. She had the most unpleasant feeling she was being followed. Seeing no one behind her and not hearing a sound, she continued on her way through the curving corridor and into the hallway beyond.

The uneasy feeling in her stomach began to intensify and she quickened her pace. She was just about to turn the final corner before she reached the portrait of the "hungry-blue-lady-who-has-a-crush-on-Sir-Cadogan" when she felt her body go stiff and her body begin to fall forward. Unable to break her fall, her face impacted the hard stone floor. She could feel blood begin to pour out of her now broken nose as her eyes, now blurred with tears, caught sight of an unfocused set of shoes through her peripherals before blackness suddenly took her.

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"Wake up."

She heard a voice say distantly. She didn't want to wake up. Every part of her felt as though it were made of lead. She ignored the voice and was drifting back to sleep when she felt a sharp pain on her right cheek accompanied by a thunderous crack. Stunned, she opened her eyes, and her surroundings slowly came into focus. To her horror, she found Draco Malfoy standing above her.

She couldn't move. It were as though her entire body was numb just like one's arm would get after sleeping on it all night. She found she could move slightly with extreme effort, but it was pretty hopeless. The feeling wasn't returning, and she could do little more than flail her right arm a tiny bit.

She was fighting it as hard as she could, but her hand just fell uselessly back to the surface she was lying on with her head lulling to the side, mouth slightly agape. Moving her eyes, she could just see that the lower half of her legs were hanging off what appeared to be a table.

"Now, now." Draco said in a menacing voice and he grabbed her around her jaw roughly, forcing her to look at him. "You've got to stay awake for this."

He used his other hand to begin unbuttoning her blouse as he continued speaking.

"Potter took what was rightfully mine!" he spat at her. "That blood traitor whore sister of yours had to infect herself with his seed!"

He grabbed her undershirt and ripped it roughly off her body. "So I'm just going to have to take it from you aren't I?"

Still holding her roughly by the jaw, he lowered his face and began sucking and biting the skin of her breasts. Furious and terrified tears began flowing freely from Astoria's eyes as she desperately tried to redouble her efforts to move. But nothing. She was beginning to lose hope. She was going to lose her innocence and there was nothing she could do about it.

Draco lifted his face to hers and kissed her roughly on the lips before biting down hard on her lower lip. The pain brought more tears to her eyes.

"You should be honored that I have chosen you Greengrass." he said. "I am the head of the powerful House Malfoy. You will bear my children, and honor me like a good little wife should honor her husband."

He lifted her skirt around her waist and began rubbing her between her legs. She could hear Malfoy unbuckle his belt and pull down his trousers before he positioned himself on top of her. Fortunately, he'd yet to remove her underwear as he began to grind on her as though he were already inside her, breathing heavily.

"You're going to enjoy this." he said as he lifted himself off her. He reached down and yanked her knickers off her roughly. She could hear the tearing of cloth as her untouched innocence was exposed to his eyes. She was helpless as she tried to scream, but it came out as a low groan.

"Aren't we the little whore?" she heard Malfoy say as he face appeared over her again. "Getting turned on already."

He leaned down and licked her cheek. Astoria could feel the bile rising up in her throat as she tried in vain to turn her head away. She could taste blood from her lip where the scum bucket had bitten her.

He positioned himself between her legs and was just about to touch her exposed sex with his unusually small penis when an enormous flash of fire and blast of searing air blasted him off of her and into the wall. Astoria could hear the battle cry of Mobius and the furious shriek of her older sister, just before Malfoy let out a blood curdling scream.

Astoria felt a strong pair of arms cradle her into a sitting position before a robe was wrapped around her. From her new position she could see Daphne standing over Draco Malfoy, Mobius on her shoulder and the Sword of Gryffindor held at his throat. She had never seen her sister so angry in her life, and it was a truly frightening sight. Yet Astoria began to cry in relief. Daphne had relieved Malfoy of his right arm, and by the looks of it, his testicles. It looked as though Mobius had also contributed as Malfoy was badly burned in several places.

"It's okay Tori." she head Harry murmur to her as he rocked her gently back and forth holding her in his arms tightly.

Turning her head to the right, she could see Malfoy's discarded wand on the table top she and Harry were on. With all of her strength, she reached over and managed to wrap her fingers around it.

Malfoy was holding the sliver of flesh where his manhood used to be, groaning loudly in agony.

"You vile little cock sucker!" Daphne shouted at him, pressing the blade to his neck. "I told you if you ever touched my sister again I'd kill you!"

She raised the sword over her head, ready to remove his, when suddenly everything from the neck up that belong to Malfoy exploded against the wall. Daphne staggered back a few feet before she spun around to yell at Harry for killing the little fucker. To her surprise, and evidently Harry's as well, Astoria held Draco's wand limply in her hand. It didn't stay there long as her strength gave out and she dropped it and her arm before finally succumbing to unconsciousness.

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A/N: There you have it. I agonized over writing this. It was very, very difficult for me to write and not feel dirty. I didn't want to write it but I said I would, so here it is. But Malfoy is dead. Yay! Bin Laden is dead! Yay! Can we have our freedoms back now? New drink at the bar. "The Osama" It's easy to make. It's two shots and a splash of water.

To "timber", lick by butt and suck my balls you trouser stain. No one said you had to read this story. "I'd given up on this story early on"? Then why the fuck are you still reading it?

To everyone else, I thank you all once again for you support. Please review.

Live Long And Prosper - Edward

A/N#2: Ugh! The damn site wouldn't let me upload the new chapter. i tried over and over. I finally found a round about way of doing it. Damn bugs.

A/N#3: I wanna clear up that the sword would not have killed Malfoy right off. He would have died a slow painful death like Harry nearly did. Plenty of time for that other stuff to happen.


	37. Tori's Perspective

Chapter Thirty Six - Tori's Perspective

Severus Snape was in his office; throwing empty jars against the wall, raging at his failure. Failure to keep close enough watch on the little bastard Draco Malfoy. Now the over stuffed peacock was dead. The stupid boy had just tried to violate another student, and he wasn't able to stop it. Try as me may to hate her because she was a Gryffindor, the young girl had endeared herself to him.

Sure he ended up giving her many detentions for her cheek, but it was rather difficult most of the time not to laugh when she simply smiled and shot back some sort of witty, and grudgingly adorable, retort. He could see so much of her mother in Astoria Greengrass, which made it difficult not to like her. It didn't hurt that she was as talented at Potions as her older sister.

"Damn that girl." he muttered to himself as he sat heavily in his office chair. "I warned you Albus." he continued in a tired whisper. "Where do we go from here Albus? Where do we go from here?"

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In the Hospital Wing, Daphne was by her sister's side the entire time. From when madam Pomfery revived her, through the tests, and questions, up until Astoria finally fell asleep with the aid of a Dreamless Sleep Draught. Looking around the ward, she could see her parents speaking quietly with Minister Bones, the Director of the DMLE Arthur Weasley, and Professors Dumbledore and McGonagall at the far end near the entrance.

Mobius, perched on the foot of her sister's bed, had been quietly and constantly trilling his comforting song for the past hour without stopping. Padfoot was sitting on the floor next to Astoria's bed with his head resting on the edge, looking up at the young girl with a very sad look on his canine face. She saw Harry , Neville and Dennis standing near Pomfrey's office. Daphne could tell Harry was tense as he spoke to the younger Gryffindor, whom had rushed into the Hospital Wing as soon as he'd heard her little sister was in there. Her husband's arms were crossed, and had a frown on his face.

Dennis, however, looked on the verge of tears, and would occasionally nod his head worriedly at a question Harry would ask him. _"Perhaps the Greengrass women's pattern of meeting the love of your life early is continuing with Astoria too?" _Daphne thought to herself with a smile. Her mother had become quite enamored with her father quite early in their school years as well. At that moment Hermione appeared next to her and handed her a much needed cup of tea before sitting down in the chair next to her.

Samuel Greengrass was furious beyond all measure. Someone had dared to lay a hand on his youngest daughter, and if she hadn't killed him herself, Samuel would have been all to happy to end Draco Malfoy's life himself. Fortunately, his blinding white hot anger hadn't prevented him from contacting his solicitors to prepare a defense for his daughters.

While his oldest had caused fatal injuries using a venom impregnated sword, his youngest had actually been the one to abruptly end the Malfoy scion's life by blasting the boy's head across the wall. To have done that in the condition she was in spoke of his youngest daughter's strength of character.

Madam Pomfrey had told them that the potion Astoria had been dosed with should have been impossible to overcome at all. That she'd managed to move even a little during the ordeal was incredible. To have the presence of mind to lift a wand and cast a spell was unheard of.

He was very worried though. Worried about how this incident would change his little girl. Daphne had told her mother how relieved Astoria had been when Madam Pomfrey informed her that everything was "still intact". She'd been unable to feel her body at all during most of the ordeal so she had been unsure. He just hoped she wouldn't lose what made her Astoria. What made everyone love her. He hoped this wouldn't harden her over all outlook on life.

"It's unlikely that any legal action against your daughters would be successful." Said Arthur Weasley in a low voice. "Mrs. Potter acted in defense of her younger sister, and Astoria had just been through a very terrifying ordeal, and was under the influence of potions administered by Draco Malfoy himself. So in a sense, he committed suicide."

"Yes," Dumbledore cut in, "But we must take every precaution to ensure that neither young woman ever sees the inside of a cell."

"But," began Minister Bones "with the support of Houses Potter, Longbottom, Black, Greengrass, and Bones along with the Office of the Minister and the Chief Warlock, supporters of the Malfoys wouldn't dare vote to convict or even indict."

At that moment, the Hospital Wing's doors opened, letting two very worried looking identical twins into the ward. Fred was carrying a very large bouquet of yellow, red and white roses (at least five dozen) while George had a very large stuffed brown bear, that took both his arms to carry, and a dozen large balloons in Gryffindor colors. Those who knew the young girl well were aware of her love for stuffed bears.

Dumbledore smiled sadly at them before gesturing to where Astoria was sleeping. The twins rushed to her bedside quietly. Though she appeared to be sleeping peacefully, seeing the bruises on her face as well as the evidence of a recently broken nose, their faces were thunderous before deflating into sorrow for not being able to protect their unofficial little sister and mischief apprentice.

Fred and George had seen Ginny out in the hallway being comforted by Luna. The incident hit the youngest Weasley hard, and was unable to stand seeing Astoria in such bad shape so she rushed back out into the hall almost immediately.

Harry walked up and greeted the twins with a grim face.

"We came here as soon as we could when we got your message." Fred said in a whisper.

"It's true that it was that little shit Malfoy?" George asked.

"Yeah." Harry answered. "She was the one to finished him though. Blew his head right off with his own wand once she was able."

The twins looked at the sleeping girl with pride in their eyes, but also great sadness. They knew she may never be the same again after having taken a life. Even if it was a would be rapist.

They noticed Dennis take a seat next to Padfoot as he took Astoria's hand in his. Fred and George walked up behind him and each put a comforting hand on his shoulders.

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Later that night Ron Weasley snuck stealthily into the Hospital Wing three hours after lights out, completely unaware of the large half Kneazle whom had taken this opportunity to sneak out of the tower and make his way to Astoria, slipping quietly through the large doors behind the gaggly red-head. The ward was thankfully empty other than the third year Gryffindor.

He quietly snuck up to her bedside and set a small stuffed bear amongst the others that various well wishers had brought though out the day. He'd managed to convince his brothers to stop down in the village to buy a bear for her with the little money he had.

"I'm sorry for everything I said." he whispered to the sleeping girl before turning to walk away.

He still couldn't face them all yet, so here he was sneaking through the night to leave a small token for a girl he'd once said terrible things about out of stupid pride and petty jealousy. His mission complete, he quietly snuck from the ward and back toward the tower. He never noticed the large black dog that had taken up post under Astoria's bed nor the violet, red and gold phoenix perched next to a snowy owl in the rafters above.

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Astoria slowly came back to the world of wakefulness as the fog of sleep lifted around her. Opening her eyes, she blinked said sleep out of her eyes before focusing on her current location. By the amount of light coming through the windows, one could see it was well before any sane person would wake. For a moment she was confused as to why she was in the hospital wing, but the memories of the day before came flooding through her mind, nearly crushing her under the weight of fear, revulsion, sorrow and self loathing.

Shaking, she curled into a fetal position, pulling the bed sheets tighter, and sobbed silently into her pillow not wanting to alert Madam Pomfrey. After a few moments, she felt a shift at the foot of her bed, along with a soft rustle of feathers. In the back of her mind, she knew it was either Mobius, or Hedwig. Feeling another shift on the bed next to her, she looked up and saw Crookshanks next to her on the bed.

The large Kneazle-cat cross approached her and affectionately bumped his head to her hands which had a death grip on the white linens. She still managed a sad tearful smile as she unwrapped herself enough to pull Crookshanks close, taking comfort from Hermione's familiar. The sound of soft phoenix song suddenly filled her with warmth and comfort causing her tears to slow.

Looking down toward the end of her bed, she saw both Hedwig and Mobius perched side by side. She had been vaguely aware of furnace like heat and flames which saved her from Malfoy, and now guessed that it had been of the Phoenix's fury. She remembered his battle cry. It had been absolutely terrifying, yet it gave her strength enough to do what she had to. If not for the majestic bird's song, the memory of taking a life, no matter how despicable, would have caused her to completely break down again.

X x x x x x x x

Daphne's emotions were in turmoil. Her sister had just been through one of the worst imaginable nightmares of any girl. She thanked Gaia that they'd gotten there just in time. She was currently digging through Astoria's trunk at 6:30 in the morning, searching for fresh under garments to bring to her little sister. She'd found a few pairs of panties and bras when she happened upon a diary.

Not wanting to intrude on her sister's privacy, she picked up the small book to move it so she could find Astoria's thick woolen socks she loved so much. Her hands were still shaking a bit with emotion though, and her grip loosened, nearly dropping the diary. When she caught it by the front cover, a small, slightly aged card fell out of it's pages.

Picking it up off the floor, she recognized it immediately, remembering the day she'd gotten it so clearly. That had been four years ago.

_Hi Daphne,_

_Hoping you're having a Happy Valentine's Day_

_-Harry_

She'd wondered where it had gone, having been very depressed at having somehow lost it after she'd gotten home for the summer. The same summer they thought a deranged killer was out for Harry's blood. She remembered how exchanging letters with him made her feel so much better. She hadn't looked at the note since before school had let out. She was sure she'd packed it away but found it missing. She had been distraught thinking she'd left it at school, and that it had probably been cleaned up as rubbish by the house elves.

Her curiosity got the better of her and she opened Astoria's diary to the first page. It seemed she began keeping it that very same summer.

_Astoria's Log July 11,1993-10:32 A.M._

_I was going through Daphne's school trunk while she was having her bubble bath this morning, hoping to find anything I could to use as blackmail, when I happened upon a very interesting note. FROM A BOY!_

_Some boy named Harry. Mum hasn't mentioned anything about any boy Daphne might have written her about. Wouldn't it be brilliant if it were "The-Boy-Who-Lived", Harry Potter himself? Imagine that. My big sister getting married to Harry Potter. (Le Sigh) _

_Astoria's Log- Supplemental- (I'm such a dork) *smiles* 4:09 P.M._

_Daphne seemed depressed after her bath for some reason. Dunno what it could be, and she wouldn't tell me. She was moping around until a beautiful snowy owl arrived a few minutes ago in the family room. Big sis' entire attitude changed on the spot when she saw it. She jumped up, quick as she could, and took the letter, and the owl up to her room. _

_The owl even squawked at being grabbed up like a baby before Daffy (I'm calling her that because she was acting like a mad woman) ran out of the room with it. Hilarious I tell you! Mummy just shook her head at it all while daddy got up and poured himself a drink muttering about boys and killing curses. I am certain it had to be the same boy named Harry. I'm going to keep a close eye on this. If nothing else it's going to be funny. I just hope this boy doesn't hurt my big sister. He seems nice enough though, if he thought enough about Daffy to send her a note._

_Astoria's Log July 12,1993-9:39 A.M._

_Daphne was acting very sappy this morning at breakfast. She had a silly grin on her face. Probably because of the boy. Daddy was scowling until mummy jabbed him in the ribs… _

Skimming through the rest of the pages, Daphne realized, becoming somewhat irritated, that it was a diary entirely devoted to Astoria's observations on her love life. She had to agree that her little sister was a dork.

She'd been hooked on these Muggle shows called "Star Trek" in all their various incarnations, of which, there were still two different series on the tele. She remembered how disappointed Tori was when the series with Patrick Stewart went off the air, but was delighted when they'd all gone to the Muggle cinema to see the movie. In fact, they were set to go see the newest release during the upcoming hols.

Thinking it over, Daphne pulled out her wand and made a copy of the diary before replacing the note and put it back into Tori's trunk. She really wanted to see things from her sister's perspective.

Daphne heard a noise, and realized it was one of Tori's dorm-mates waking up. When asked what she was doing there, Daphne simply answered with a stern look that dared the girl to challenge her for going into her sister's trunk before she walked out with Tori's unmentionables and various toiletries, copy of the diary safely tucked into her coat.

Walking back into her quarters, she put Tori's stuff down on the coffee table in the sitting room, and decided to read a little more before going to see her. Sitting on the large comfy couch, she skimmed through, passing where Astoria snooped around to find it was indeed Harry Potter, until she found a promising passage.

_Astoria's Log August 16, 1993 1:03 P.M._

_Oh my! That boy is in trouble! Harry has already set Daphne off. We were almost finished up with lunch with mum today when the beautiful snowy owl, Hedwig, made an appearance. Daphne seemed to be happy, then scared, then mad. _

_She told mummy that she was going to give Harry Potter a piece of her mind for being a stupid git and running off by himself when there was a crazy mad man on the loose. And mummy let her go! To see a boy! ALONE!_

_Can you believe it? Good thing daddy was at work for lunch today. After Daffy left, mum started humming a bridal march to herself as she cleaned up. I think she thinks Harry and Daffy are gong to get married one day. How about that? Harry Potter and my crazy sister? Will the wonders ever end? I almost feel sorry for the boy! Ha! Just kidding! (smiles)_

Skimming through some more Daphne found a passage from just before Astoria started at Hogwarts.

_Astoria's Log August 31, 1994 - 9:33 P.M._

_Tomorrow I start at Hogwarts. I'm so excited! I know what I'm going to do. The twins tried to take the mickey out on me by saying the sorting would hurt really badly. Harry set me straight and said they used a hat to sort us. I used a shrinking solution on the twin's underwear for that one. Never heard boys shriek like girls before. Anyway, as I was saying, I know what I HAVE to do. I'm going to march right up to the hat, and demand I be put in Gryffindor. And if it asks me why, I'll tell it I need to keep an eye on my sister's future husband, and keep other girls away from him so they can get married and have lots of babies one day, and if it says no, I'll just have to set it on fire. I really hope they do get married one day. Harry is such a nice boy, and Daphne is happy when she's with him. I just want her to be happy. I'm such a sap…._

Daphne had tears in her eyes as she chuckled at Tori's musings. She'd always wondered what she'd said to the hat to make it laugh before it sorted her, but her little sister wouldn't spill.

Looking over at the clock, she saw it was just after seven. Deciding Tori would probably be up by now because of Madam Pomfrey's incessant hovering and examining, Daphne marked her place in the diary before walking quietly into their bedroom and putting it in her beside drawer, being careful not to wake her sleeping husband. Walking back into the sitting room, she picked up Tori's things and packed them in her empty book bag before making her way to see her little sister.

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A/N: There it is. Funny how an entire chappie can just appear on the screen when all you start with are a few words. I never plan my chapters out. When I'm stuck, I'm stuck. But when I finally get an idea for a start, it usually just spills out, just like this chapter and a few others before. I felt that a little more focus on Astoria would add a bit more to her character. She IS a lot of fun to write. Astoria's love for things Muggle makes a relationship between her and a muggle born more plausible I think. They have a common ground.

Maybe a bit more on Snape to make him seem more human than just an all around douche bag, and to show that even an asshole like him is helpless against Astoria's charm. I think it also makes what happened to her seem so much worse, don't you think? Anyway, Read and let me know in reviews.

Live Long and Prosper - Edward


	38. Help From Across The Sea

Note: This chapter was partly influenced by the story "The Dark Wars: Empire's Plight" by Marquis Black.

Chapter Thirty Seven- Help From Across The Sea

When Harry awoke just after 10:30 the morning after the assault on Astoria, he found himself alone in bed as expected. He knew Daphne would've woken up as early as possible to be there for her sister as soon as the sun was up. He heaved himself out of bed and prepared for the day.

He was getting ready to head out to visit Astoria when Dobby popped in.

"Master Harry Potter sir. I is being told by Headmaster Whiskers that you is being needed in his office right away."

"Thank you Dobby. Please inform Daphne where I'm going to be and that I will join her as soon as possible." Harry said to his faithful elf who bowed low before popping away to carry out his orders.

Harry reached the gargoyle outside of Dumbledore's office minutes later. He was about to give the password when the stone guardian swiveled to the side and allowed him entrance. Quickly climbing the stairs, he knocked to alert Dumbledore of his presence.

"Enter" came the reply.

Harry opened the door and stepped into the headmaster's ornate office. Upon entering, he saw the headmaster behind his desk, as well as Sirius, Mr. Weasley, and Minister Bones. He then noticed two new unknown men in blue uniforms standing off to the side.

Upon closer inspection, Harry noticed that both men wore dark blue frock coats with red sashes around their waists and black belts over those that each held sabers and what looked like holsters for revolvers. He noticed one man holding an adorned black felt hat with a light blue hat cord and the left brim pinned up by a brass eagle. He also saw a large black feather plume on the opposite side of the eagle pin as well as what appeared to be a twisted brass bugle on the front. The other man held a crushed blue kepi with what looked like a sprig of boxwood tucked into the side of the black leather band across the front.

"Ah, Harry. Punctual as usual." said Dumbledore jovially. "I would like you to meet our guests from across the Atlantic."

"This is Brigadier General Joseph Solomon Meredith" he said as he indicated the man with the black felt hat "and Brigadier General Patrick Thomas Meagher. Gentlemen, his is Lord Harry James Potter." he finished as he indicated the second man with the crushed kepi.

The man with the black hat stepped forward and held out his hand for Harry who shook it firmly. The man had dark brown hair and was tall and imposing, but had a gentleness to his hard brown eyes. He had a thick mustache, but was otherwise clean shaven.

"It's a pleasure to actually meet you Lord Potter. We in the United States know of your first defeat of Voldemort. As such, the military holds you in high regards. I command the Iron Brigade in our magical armed forces and I look forward to fighting along side you."

Harry didn't really know what to say to that, so he went with the first thing that came to mind.

"Thank you. I look forward to seeing you all in action."

Even if he really didn't as he knew it would mean many deaths for the Americans.

General Meredith stepped back and allowed the second General stepped forward and also shook Harry's hand. The man was stocker than Meredith, but still rather tall. He had dark hair and a full mustache as well, but his eyes reminded Harry of Hagrid's.

"General Meagher of the Irish Brigade. My boys and I look forward to working with you Lord Potter." he said with a kind smile which caused his eyes to squint.

Harry was surprised when the general spoke in an accent that sounded like a watered down Irish brogue. He replied the same way he had with Meredith.

"I apologize for the absence of our Division Commander, Major General Hancock and the commander of the third brigade, Brigadier General Caldwell, but they are over seeing our force's deployment and logistics. Also, with all of us here, the division would have had to stop, and we are trying to keep our men marching north with all possible speed. But this is only a briefing so their presence isn't necessary."

Soon all present took their seats in a semi-circle in front of Dumbledore's desk and they began the briefing of their units and their government's position on the situation.

General Meagher spoke first. "Our government has gathered intelligence that the self styled "Lord Voldemort" has been recruiting across Europe and even as far east as Siberia. While our Muggle forces have weapons capabilities far beyond the magical world, they are hampered by international laws and the sovereignty of nations and thus cannot carry out aerial bombing campaigns on another nation without the expressed permission of said nation's government, or a declaration of war."

Meagher paused to take a drink of coffee that had been served by the Hogwarts elves before he continued.

"We are aware of the effective surgical strikes against Death Eater holdings here in Great Britain, but it was carried out by your own forces on your own lands with the help of the French. Both governments are also restricted to operations in their own lands and cannot legally carry out attacks on Death Eaters or their recruits in other countries without creating a serious international incident."

General Meredith continued from there.

"Voldemort has unfortunately began using more active anti-muggle countermeasures, and seeing as your nation has only one active magical battalion made up of two companies from the 2nd (Queen's Royal) Regiment of Foot under her direct control, we were asked by Her Royal Highness for assistance in this crisis. Our Muggle President ordered the Magical Military to deploy our two elite brigades, a third brigade of regulars and three regiments of heavy artillery to Scotland."

Having several questions for the Americans Harry spoke up for the first time.

"What kind of weapons will your forces be using?" he asked.

"Due to the nature of enhancing weapons with magic, our magical military as with the rest of the world, use muzzle loading single shot weapons." At Harry's confused look General Meredith continued his explanation.

"Enhancing projectile weapons became problematic with the advent of single shot breech loaders that used cartridges. With each shot, magical residue builds up on the barrels of our weapons. To much build up causes misfires and jamming. It's a problem we've been working on since weapons began firing faster.

They simply fire to quickly to allow the magic to dissipate before firing the next round. An AR-15 jams within seconds, as do all other automatic weapons. It's much like an un-enhanced barrel getting to hot after sustained fire. They simply stop working, and our troops would be defenseless. We've been working on it for decades."

"It is a problem even I have worked on as an advisor and researcher in the past Harry." Dumbledore said.

"Aye," Meagher spoke up, "It's a matter of compromise me lad. Magical armies world wide have been thus far trapped in the 1860s because of it. We've traded rate of fire for destructive power.

General Meredith's brigade, as well as most of our army, is armed with the Model 1863 Springfield rifle, while my boys carry the 1842 smoothbore. The rifles have an effective range of 1,000 yards, while our smoothbores have a magically enhanced accurate range of 250 yards, but we fire a buck and ball combination. We can take out two or three men at that range with the shot's spread, as the rifle can typically down only a single man at a time. It proved devastating at close range during our Civil War."

"When you have upwards of ten thousand men firing musket balls charmed to either explode inside the body, or punch through ranks three men deep reliably, the compromises don't seem to great. Also our three regiments of heavy artillery combined have nine batteries of six guns a piece totaling fifty-four guns in all. They're an even mix of the 12 pound "Napoleons" and 3inch Ordnance Rifles."

"I'm surprised the Irish would consent to fighting to defend British soil." said Sirius. "With all the animosity between the Irish and Great Britain, I would've expected your men to refuse."

"We have our reasons Lord Black." said Meagher with a forced smile. "Other than that, we were ordered to deploy."

The atmosphere in the room seemed to become suffocating in an instant. All present suspected one of their reasons for being there was the chance to kill Brits. Dark Brits, but Britons none the less. The other was that it was also the chance to see combat. The brigades had been sitting idle for years by this point, and the men were anxious for some action.

Most of them had already seen combat when Dark Witches rampaged through central Mexico in the previous decade. The wide spread destruction in Mexico City was blamed on a massive earthquake in the Muggle World. While they were half right, no on outside the Mexican Federal Government and the United States Government knew that the dark witches used ancient and dangerous rituals to cause the ground to buckle and give way.

The attack had thrown the Mexican Magical Government into disarray. It was clear then that the dark forces were too large for their under-funded military to handle alone, so they called the United States' magical forces for help. Even with the very bloody conflict over, there were still occasional reports of "Witches flying without brooms" being seen by Muggles.

General Meredith cleared his throat before breaking the uncomfortable silence that had descended on the office.

"Yes well. We have brought an expeditionary force fifteen infantry regiments in total. Five regiments of six hundred men a piece in three brigades totaling nine thousand men in all. My brigade consists of the 2nd, 6th, and 7th Wisconsin; the 19th Indiana and 24th Michigan Infantry Regiments.

All these units were deactivated in the Muggle world and transferred to the Magical Military after the Civil War. Meagher's brigade consists of the 63rd, 69th, and 88th New York; the 28th Massachusetts and the 116th Pennsylvania. The 69th New York is interesting as it's the only unit in the world to have active battalions in both the Muggle and Magical Worlds. All five regiments are easily identifiable on the battle field by their emerald green regimental colors.

General Caldwell's brigade consists of the; 5th New Hampshire, the 81st, and 148th Pennsylvania, the 61st and 67th New York. Most of Caldwell's men are fresh out of training and inexperienced so they will be held in reserve. Scouting will is assigned to the two-hundred and fifty men of the 1st Texas, Cavalry Regiment and thus will not be engaging in combat. Supporting us will be the 1st and 3rd New York Heavy Artillery regiments.

The vast majority of our magical military is made up of what you would call Muggle-born, witches and wizards. Our actual combat units are entirely male though. Not a woman's place to die for the mistakes of foolish men and their foolish ideas I say."

"Are all these men really needed gentlemen?" Madam Bones asked. "Surely we don't need such a large force to handle Voldemort and his forces.."

"Madam," Meagher began, his voice sharp as a straight razor. "I have no idea what your intelligence gathering has told you, but ours has confirmed that the terrorist Voldemort has raised a mercenary force of no less than twelve thousand, and judging by how he conducted himself in the last war, you can be sure he will bring an army of countless inferi and imperioused with him. Our military even considered reactivating and magically refitting the 48 gun frigate U.S.S. Constellation to provide additional heavy fire support from the Black Lake."

"Indeed Minister," said Dumbledore. "The American Government has also been kind enough to loan us their best Arithmancers and Warders to erect anti-apparition wards within the school walls themselves so that the enemy cannot appear behind their lines if and when the school's primary wards fail. I will however, make every effort to reinforce the wards to buy more time."

"Aye," said Meagher in a fiercely determined voice. "If those bastards want in, they'll have to fight through us. We'll give 'em hell with hot lead and the cold bayonet."

"It's still disappointing that we can't use automatic weapons." Harry said quietly.

"Oh we can use them." Said Meredith, "But they will be hampered by not being able to deal magical damage. The Mini Guns cannot be used as they are run electrically, and the standard small arms can be rendered ineffective by casting kinetic energy shields. Each type of shield can only do one or the other. Blocking magical energies, or blocking kinetic energy, but not both. That is where the magically enhanced rounds come in quite handy as they can punch through either."

Harry got a brief image of a photon torpedo in his mind's eye, slipping through an Imperial Star Destroyer's deflectors as they are largely ineffective against kinetic energy. (I.E. Asteroids and puny fighters flying through them to destroy sensors and deflector shields). An Imperial Star Destroyer's gunners were also shit and couldn't hit the broad side of a planet with their wimpy lasers.

He knew all this because Astoria had gone on a long rant about Star Trek's technological superiority over Star Wars according to practically every physicist and scientist in the Muggle world. She still thought Lightsabers were cool as hell though, but his brain had gone quite numb with all her techno-babble.

Shaking himself from that train of thought, he remembered he still had a duty to get to Astoria as soon as possible. He hoped this meeting would wrap up soon. Bringing his attention back to the conversation he realized he'd missed something when he heard them discussing where Voldemort got the funds for an army. Sirius provided insight.

"My cousin Narcissa came to me this morning seeking refuge. With the deaths of both Lucius and Draco she is in control of what is left of House Malfoy. Apparently, Draco whom had inherited full control, allowed Moldyshorts full access to the Malfoy fortune once he had been branded with the Dark Mark.

While the stupid boy was here at school, the Dark Lord drained the Malfoy coffers to build his army, leaving them virtually penniless. All Narcissa has left is her dowry that had been moved to a separate vault once Lucius was imprisoned."

"What were these Malfoys worth before Voldemort bled them dry?" Meagher asked.

"The Malfoy estate was once worth forty million galleons, with another ten million in investments." Sirius paused as he leaned back in his seat. "That is all gone now. All that's left are a few heirlooms and the manor house."

"What did you do about Mrs. Malfoy?" Harry asked with an edge in his voice.

"I officially dissolved her marriage and returned her to her place in the House of Black. The Malfoy line officially no longer exists." Sirius answered.

"How do you know she won't betray us?" Harry said, voice rising slightly.

"She has taken the Black Family Unbreakable Vow to never betray our cause." said Sirius. "As her head of house, she could never kill me without losing her own life slowly and painfully."

"But Bellatrix.." Harry began only to be cut off by his godfather.

"..was only aiming to wound. She would have been unable to kill me. Had I fallen through the veil it would have not taken her life, as she _intended _to disable me. My injuries, hurt as they may have, were not life threatening." Sirius explained.

Harry was about to say something else until Sirius cut him off again as he knew what his godson was thinking.

"She has also not taken the Dark Mark." the mangy old mutt said. "I made sure of it. Had she, I would have cast her out of the family and left her to fend for herself." he finished in a firm voice that brought the matter to a close.

"Well, I believe we have covered all the important information in this briefing. I think it's time to call the meeting to an end as I'm sure we are all very busy with preparations." Dumbledore said with a smile while rising to his feet. The others gathered all did the same. "I thank you all for coming. Generals, Minister, Director, we shall be in contact."

After a round of good byes, Harry began walking our of the office, his mood somber at the though of the lives that will be lost, for the Americans intended to stand and fight face to face. As he walked over the threshold of the office door he heard Sirius ask Minister Bones if she had any plans for lunch. Harry shook his head with an amused smirk on his face as he walked down the stairs and out to the corridor, bound for the Hospital Wing to see his sister in law.

He wondered how the magical world had become so disconnected from the muggle world when it came to the governing bodies. Ultimately the Queen should have had sole dominion over the Magical World, as the Monarchy's authority there had been unchallenged in the Magna Carta.

Surely they would have maintained a sizable magical military? More than a two company battalion anyway. That is only two-hundred riflemen. By what was implied, the Americans maintain at least two "Corps" or magical troops with three more held in inactive reserve.

"_Hermione would have an orgasm if she had a chance to study all of this." _he thought to himself with a laugh.

His mood turned somber as he entered the infirmary. He walked slowly over to Astoria's bed and sat next to Daphne in one of the empty chairs. Astoria was currently dozing lightly. Daphne whispered that Dennis had just been there but had gone to grab a quick lunch and then come right back.

Harry smiled when she told him that Dennis had already been waiting outside the infirmary's doors by the time she'd gotten there. She asked if his meeting with Dumbledore had gone alright. She was surprised to learn what the meeting was about, but was glad that they were getting help.

"Hey Harry." came Astoria's quiet voice.

Harry looked over to see her eyes looking at him sleepily.

"Hey Tori." he said with a smile. "Your boyfriend went to go stuff his face real quick, but he'll be back in a flash."

"Shut up." she mumbled, burying her face in the pillow.

"Hey, at least he doesn't eat like Ron." Harry said with a laugh.

"Oh dear God. Thank the heavens for that. I wouldn't be able to eat with out feeling sick if I had to watch that." Tori said practically groaning.

She went quiet and her face went stony when she thought about what she'd heard when they thought she was sleeping.

"So the Malfoy family is no more?" she asked in a flat tone of voice.

"Gone for good. The last of their crap will no doubt be destroyed by the end of this war. Turned to ashes and scattered to the wind." he replied.

"Good." Astoria said in a soft whisper. Tears began leaking from her eyes as her face scrunched up in sorrow. Daphne was next to her in an instant, cradling her in a comforting embrace. Harry reached out and held her hand as she sobbed, further purging herself of the sorrow, revulsion and self loathing.

"We're all here for you Tori. We're your family, and you'll never be alone." Harry whispered to her as Madam Pomfrey came out of her office with a calming draught.

"Miss Greengrass," the nurse began. "you've refused the draughts thus far, but I think it would be wise of you to take it now. It will help you sort through your emotions without breaking down. Believe me, I know." she finished, sadness lacing her tone.

Mobius flamed onto the foot of her bed at that moment and trilled something to Astoria. Reluctantly, she took the vial from Madam Pomfrey and downed it's contents. She felt a sense of peace spread through her. Her tears slowed, as she sniffled a few times.

After Poppy had gone back into her office, Daphne and Astoria began to talk about what had happened. Harry had politely excused himself, as he knew this had to be only between them. He ran into Dennis right outside the doors and told him what was going on, and that they would need some time alone to talk about things.

Harry asked the younger Gryffindor to join him on a stroll around the lake with him to have a talk. They walked in silence until they reached the shore of the lake. The air was crisp and cool around them as it was already the beginning of November.

"The girl in there is not the same Tori we all know and love." Harry finally spoke in a soft voice. "I can already see it. She will always be Astoria, but she won't be the same for a while, if ever. You've got a great girl there Dennis. I would hate for you to muck it up and hurt her You make her cry, I'll make you cry. Remember this."

"O-of course." Dennis stammered as Harry walked a few steps in front of the younger boy, keeping his back to the third year while he gazed out over the lake.

"What do you feel for her?" Harry asked with out turning around.

"I care for her deeply. She the first thing..." Dennis was cut off by Harry

"…you think about when you wake up, and the last thing before you fall asleep." Harry stated more than asked.

"Y-yes." Dennis replied while cursing his cracking voice.

"Well," Harry paused. "I for one am happy for you Dennis. Maybe there's hope for you yet. I know some may say you're too young to know what love is or what it could be, but I was little older than you when I realized I loved Daphne."

Harry finally turned around to meet Dennis' eyes.

"I hope it works out for you two. If anything, since she's been seeing you, she's been even brighter." Harry said with a small smile. "Just be there for her. For whatever she needs, for as long as you can. But don't push her to talk about anything. She will come to you when she's ready."

Dennis looked down with a pensive yet sad look on his face. After a few moments he looked up and met Harry's eyes and nodded his understanding of what Harry was telling him.

"Good. Now, I think the girls may need more time so I'm going to grab a quick bite. You can join me if you want to chat some more, though I know you already ate." Harry said in a slightly brighter tone.

Dennis smiled a bit before saying, "I'd like that Harry."

The two Gryffindors walked side by side as allies and possible future brothers. Dennis couldn't remember a time in his life he walked so tall. Tall being relative, as he was only thirteen years old and 5'5".

However, being treated as an equal by the guy he's looked up to the most since his brother Colin went on and on about said guy made Dennis feel like he was important. Like he actually mattered. Little did he know just how much he mattered to a certain dark haired sister in law of his hero.

Atop Cnoc nam Broighleag, over looking Loch Glashan . November 1st 5:34pm.

A dark haired, fair skinned young man dressed in blue winter frock coat brings his horse to a stop at the top of a hill over looking a Loch. He pulled out his binoculars (or spy glasses) and gazes down at the column of troops about a mile away, marching swiftly north along the edge of the lock, under heavy notice-me-not charms and various other Muggle repelling techniques. Well, moving as swiftly as possible on the winding back roads. They couldn't very well travel on the main arteries or traffic could they?

The young man was a Texas native. His name was John Edward O'Riley; a second lieutenant in the 1st Texas Cavalry of the magical armed forces of the United States. It's not a well known fact, but the 1st Texas Cavalry was a unit that served in the Union Army during the American Civil War.

Turning to his left, he could see a Castle was just visible over the tree tops in the distance at the edge of another loch. He examined his maps and found it was Minard Castle. He turned back to the column when he heard the faint sounds of the regimental bands for the lead brigade (The Iron Brigade) playing what he thought was the "Old 1812".

"_Good." _he thought. _"A nice quick paced lively tune to keep the boys moving quickly."_

Taking one last look before stowing his spy glasses away, he turned his horse north eastward and to continue scouting ahead for possible threats. He knew the column would have to march into the night to reach a suitable location to camp. Their division commander opted to march toward the Castle of Hogwarts and set up camp approximately a mile from the school to keep out of sight of any possible Death Eater recon.

Also, mass portkeying registers massive amounts of energy. There wouldn't be any doubt what a surge that large could mean, and any Ministry infitrators could get the message back to Voldemort. So they came ashore from their ships and barges ten miles Noth-Northeast of Campbeltown and had been on the march for two days.

O'Riley knew that the situation was serious, and they were in for one hell of a fight if both the Irish Brigade and Iron Brigade had been transferred into the same division. They were the two best units! That along with fifty four cannons. That was packing firepower in a single Magical American Division not seen since the Spanish-American War.

Looking down at his map, he spotted what looked to be a promising encampment sight. Getting his bearings straight, he pointed his steed in the right direction. He needed to make sure it was suitable for the column to rest for the night, and defend it easily should they come under attack. Task in mind, he set off at a steady gallop. He hoped he survived the coming battle.

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A/N: There. Like I said, this chapter was inspired by The Dark Wars : Empire's Plight. For those who aren't familiar with field artillery of the American Civil War, look it up, and rent the movies "Glory"(1989) Gettysburg(1994) and Gods and Generals (2004 [but skip forward to the battle scenes. The movie is boring as hell with all it's damn soliloquies .])

The Canister shot was particularly deadly at close range (to the face). Imagine a coffee can sized shotgun shell filled with one inch steel balls fired out of a cannon at either point blank range or up to and over 200 hundred yards. Brutal. Would love to see Death Deaters (and their hired army) go down as brutally as possible. That's why I chose this path. Also, using air strikes at such close range is a bad idea. It's danger close and would probably kill some of Hogwarts' defenders.

As for the song the column is marching to, youtube and search "Coming of the Old 1812"

Also, the names for the American commanders very strongly implies them to be descendants of the old commanders of said brigades during the Civil War.

Anyway. Read and Review. I will try to move this story along faster in the next chapters, but it isn't easy. Hope I can get this writers block resolved soon :-/

Live Long and Prosper- Edward

P.S. To you "22" you can eat my ass.


	39. Beginning Of The End

Chapter Thirty Eight. Beginning Of The End.

December 25th 1996 11:46pm

Harry Potter; a young man with a great burden set upon his shoulders even before birth, sat alone in the parlor of the "Dog House" next to the fairy lit Christmas tree. Unable to sleep, he came down as quietly as possible being careful not to disturb his sleeping wife.

He had tear tracks on his cheeks, but said tears had stopped. The coming days will throw the British Wizarding World into chaos, but hopefully it won't last any longer than the battle to come. Before leaving school for the winter break, he'd been informed that the division of American troops was already encamped a mile away from Hogsmeade instead of the school. General Hancock felt it prudent to camp further from the school to better conceal them from the town's folk.

Harry, Daphne, Sirius and Dumbledore met with the soldiers who would carry out the defense of the castle when the time came. Harry was surprised to see how eager they were. Most of the men in the 1st and 2nd brigades were veterans and had not seen combat since '85. The new troops of the 3rd brigade were less enthusiastic about the coming battle, as they were young and had yet to fire their weapons in anger in the face of an enemy.

Harry heaved a sigh as he gazed out of the parlor's window at the falling now. Snow had yet to fall on Hogwarts and the adjacent town. It were as though Mother Nature herself knew of the coming fight, and couldn't stand to have beauty of freshly fallen snow marred by blood and gore.

Harry was set to return to Hogwarts in the early morning on New Year's Day with Dumbledore. It will be then, that the Headmaster's plan will be carried out to lure Riddle to the school for a final show down. It was said plan that kept Harry from finding peace.

January 1st 1997. 12:56am.

Harry and Daphne were currently standing in the foyer of the Dog House. Mrs. Potter had her husband in a bone crushing hug, and he returned it just as fiercely. The celebrations had been subdued to say the least, but they still brought in the New Year together.

Dumbledore was standing just outside the open door, waiting for Daphne to finish saying goodbye to Harry. With a strong warning about him taking care of himself, she planted a searing kiss on his lips before she let him go. Harry walked slowly over to his mentor.

"Are we ready?" Dumbledore asked quietly.

Harry shook his head sadly. "As I'll ever be I guess." he said quietly.

"Very well. We must be on our way." said Dumbledore. With that, the two wizards walked past the ward lines and disapparated to their destinies.

Tom Riddle sat on his throne in a large darkened room of the former Malfoy Manor. He smirked to himself as he thought of how the Malfoy line had met an unfortunate end. He was furious when he learned that Narcissa had gone turn coat and sought refuge with her blood traitor cousin.

"_No matter." _he thought. _"Once I've destroyed Potter and his meddling old fool, I'll hunt her down and make her pay for her betrayal. I may just let my mercenaries have some fun with her before I kill her. The same fate awaits that blood traitor whore wife of Potter's. I may even let him live long enough to see it." _He laughed to himself at the thought.

Around the room, the assembled Death Eaters silently shuddered at what might be going through their Lord's mind that would cause him to laugh.

"AMYCUS!" Riddle bellowed, causing all present to flinch. "What word do you have from Severus?"

"Snape reported to me that the Muggle loving fool left the castle for an unknown and very secret errand. He suspected the Potter brat may be accompanying him. He has given us the location of a secret passage into the school through the Honeydukes' cellar. My team is ready to go at you command my lord." the brother Carrow said, trembling the entire time.

"Good." said Riddle. "Soon that old fool will be dead, and the Wizarding World shall be mine." he paused. "Go. Leave my sight. I don't want you back here until Severus has killed the old man. Do not bother returning if you fail."

"Yes my lord." Amycus said with a bow before rushing from the room to carry out his mater's wishes.

Hogsmeade Village. 6:33am.

It was still dark outside as Harry and Dumbledore quietly walked out of the Hogshead Pub after confirming the evacuation plan of the remaining students at the school with Aberforth. The two quietly walked down High Street toward the main gates of Hogwarts with brooms in hand. At this hour, the entire village was dark as many had gotten piss drunk during their celebrations.

Looking up toward the school they saw the Dark Mark over the Astronomy Tower as expected. They looked at each other and nodded before climbing on their brooms and flying s quickly as possible toward the tower.

They reached the tower in short order. Quickly hiding his broom, Harry could already hear the faint sounds of a battle going on in the school below. The Death Eaters Professor Snape was suppose to allow in were no doubt fighting the Aurors, and by the sounds of it, they were winning.

"This is it Harry." Dumbledore said to his pupil before handing him his wand.

"Remember, do not interfere. This is how it must be. Riddle may never attack while I still draw breath. It has been an honor and a privilege to know you Harry. You have been like the grandson I never had. Until we meet again in the after life."

Harry had tears running down his cheeks as he handed his surrogate grand father the twisted and burnt remains of Riddle's locket.

"Good bye Professor." he croaked out. "I love you. We all do." he said as he hugged Albus for the first and last time. Slowly stepping back, Harry threw his cloak of invisibility over him and swiftly descended the stairs to the level just below.

The sounds of the battle were getting closer until finally Harry saw several Death Eaters rush past.

"Well. What do we have here?" one of the bastards, who was obviously male, said as they reached the same level the Headmaster was on. "The great Albus Dumbledore, alone and defenseless."

"Good morning Amycus." Dumbledore said conversationally. "It has been a long time since you walked these halls as a student. I must say you have fallen very far since that time. I believe introductions are in order."

"Quiet old man!" Amycus spat.

Harry heard a sound behind him, and turned to see Severus Snape on the same level looking around for him. Harry lowered his hood and revealed himself to the Potions Master. Severus gave Harry a respectful nod before bringing his finger to his lips, gesturing Harry to be quiet. Harry retuned the nod and raised his hood back over his head.

He watched Snape climb the stairs to join the Death Eaters who were squabbling about just killing Dumbledore now with out Severus.

"No Greyback." Snape said as he practically slithered in from the stairway. "The Dark Lord has tasked me with finishing what young Draco could not."

Snape turned to face Dumbledore. The tension was so thick it could be cut with a knife as Snape and Dumbledore stared at one another. The old mage held the destroyed horcrux loosely in his hand to ensure that Severus could retrieve it. Harry found himself shaking more violently than he had ever done before as he looked up at his Headmaster. His face, unseen to anyone, was scrunched in agony as he watched.

"Severus." Dumbledore spoke quietly. "Please.."

Snape hesitated for a moment before lifting his wand. For Harry, time seemed to slow as Snape's wand came up. He could feel a cold ball made of needles settle into his stomach as his blood turned to ice in his veins.

"Avada Kedavera!"

The deadly green light burst froth from Snape's wand, and Harry watched it sail toward Dumbledore. He watched as the curse struck home and the headmaster pitch backward over the tower's parapet. He vaguely heard the clatter of a metallic object hit the wooden floor above him as he watched Dumbledore's body fall out of sight.

Severus looked at the spot where his friend had stood not seconds ago as the other Death Eaters let out a triumphant cry. Severus Snape felt hollow as he looked down to the floor and spotted the destroyed horcrux. Walking over, he stooped down to pick it up before he told the others it was time to leave.

The Death Eaters wasted no time in rushing back down the steps, but Severus took a moment to look down through the floors opening where he thought Harry might have been. He gave a nod which told Harry to continue with the plan before he too rushed down to join Voldemort's raiding party.

Not having any time to compose himself Harry took his cloak off and stowed it in his bag before chasing after the group. As he raced through the halls, he came across dead or unconscious Aurors. The Death Eaters had carved a path of destruction on their way out.

Harry raced out the Clock Tower's huge doors, and past the fountain and across the wooden bridge that lead to the stone circle. He couldn't stem the flow of tears as he chased after the bastard Death Munchers.

As the Death Eaters approached Hagrid's hut, which was thankfully empty, Harry cried out to get their attention as was planned.

"SNAPE!" Harry yelled at the top of his lungs "He trusted you! You betrayed him!"

Harry fired a weak spell at Snape as the group turned to face him. Snape blocked the curse with little effort as Alecto Carrow set the old hut on fire. Amycus was next to Severus and raised his wand to cast the killing curse at Harry when Snape stopped him by grabbing his arm.

"No!" he said to Amycus in a loud voice. "He belongs to the Dark Lord. Go!"

The others turned and fled toward the gates as Harry flung more weak curses at the former Potions Master.

"Fight back!" Harry yelled as he flung another curse. He hesitated for a second which was Severus's queue to knock him off his feet. A disarming spell later, Harry found himself looking up at the overcast winter sky before Snape stood over him and crouched down.

"This is it Potter. There is no turning back now. It will finally be over by tonight. Stay the course." Said Severus before standing up and kicking Harry's wand a little further away. He turned swiftly walked away.

Harry allowed his head to lull to one side to see the Dark mark hanging overhead. Turning his head away, he squeezed his eyes his as a new wave of sobs wracked his body. After a few minutes, Harry pulled himself together enough to climb to his feet and walk back toward the school.

He walked numbly toward the Transfiguration Courtyard at the base of the Astronomy Tower. When he finally reached it, he found it filled with people. The fifty or so students (which included most of Dumbledore's Army) that had remained in the castle for the break, as well as all the Professors, members of the Order and remaining Aurors all crowded around the base of the tower.

He stumbled his way through the crowd, which parted easily hen they realized he was there. He saw his mentor's body laying motionless at the tower's base. When he reached Dumbledore's body, his legs gave way and he collapsed to his knees as he began to weep once more. He barely registered the familiar arms of Daphne wrapping him in a comforting embrace.

He felt somewhat like a cad for not telling any of them what the plan was. Dumbledore hadn't allowed it, and so his wife was in the dark about it all. They all stood silently; tears in every eye. Even the Aurors, as they had all been taught by Dumbledore, or at least attended school during his tenure as Headmaster.

He buried his face in Daphne's bosom as he held on to her for dear life. The Order, which now included Fred and George stood at the front of the crowd, along with Sirius, Neville, Hermione, Ginny, Luna, Astoria, and Dennis as they watched Harry looking so helpless in Daphne's arms. Astoria was openly weeping while clinging on to Dennis, who was supporting her weight, as it seemed as though her legs could no longer hold her weight.

Samuel and Arianna Greengrass were there as well, and were about to step forward to help their children, for they had come to think of Harry as their own son they never had. They were stopped when Harry surged to his feet, leaving Daphne on the ground, and with an animalistic cry of fury as he raised his wand and loosed a massive bolt of pure unrestrained magic skyward at the Dark Mark. The force of the magic leaving his wand blasted Harry off his feet and to the ground where he slid to a stop two meters from where he had been standing, loosing consciousness.

A Massive explosion ripped through the lightening sky; shattering windows as far as Hogsmeade, as the Dark mark was blasted from existence by Harry Potter's rage.

8:00am-Malfoy Manor.

Voldemort was ecstatic. Dumbledore was dead and soon he would make his move on the Ministry before attacking Parliament and capturing the Royal Family. He had plans for them. He was going to execute them all in front of the world stage and proclaim himself Emperor.

Severus Snape stood outside of the Dark Lord's throne room. He was not looking forward to what he had to do next. Realizing what the locket meant the Dark Lord will no doubt be furious.

Taking in a deep breath and exhaling, he knocked on the door and waited.

"Enter" came the Dark Lord's voice from within.

Entering the room and closing the door behind him Severus bowed before Riddle.

"Ah Severus, my most loyal. What do you have for me?" Riddle asked in an almost jovial tone.

"My Lord," Snape paused as he swallowed. "The muggle loving fool had this in his hand when I killed him. He dropped it as he fell over the parapet."

Voldemort held out his hand. Snape handed him the locket. He could see Voldemort's skin become very tight as he examined the locket. He hissed at it frantically, but when he got no response, he cried out in fury as he threw it to the ground.

"Impossible!" Riddle screamed. "He couldn't have found out! Severus! Rally the army now!"

He stormed from the room while muttering "I have to make sure the others are safe."

Severus stayed on his knees until the door closed behind Voldemort. He let out a sigh of relief as he climbed to his feet. He as no doubt going to check on the ring, and once he found out it was gone, he would try to retrieve the one that was suppose to be at the school.

Severus quickly stepped out of the room and found a secluded area in the surrounding woods to send off a patronus message to Potter. He then raced back to the manor to summon the seven thousand mercenaries who were still waiting in their respective countries to be called on.

Harry slowly regained consciousness at the same time as Snape was handing Riddle the destroyed locket. When he opened his eyes, he found he was in the hospital wing. He could hear weeping at once end f the ward. Looking over to his right, he saw Daphne sitting in a chair next to his bed with her face in her hands.

Harry sat up with a groan as his muscles felt a bit tight.

"Harry!" Daphne all but shouted as she jumped from her chair and hugged him fiercely.

"I'm so sorry Harry." Daphne said through her tears. "I know how much he meant to you."

Harry held her as he looked over to the far end of the ward. There in a bed near Madam Pomfrey's office was a sheet draped over a tall body. Several adults from the Order were standing near by, morning the loss of the "Leader of The Light".

"_I suppose it's my turn now." _Harry thought sadly. He sat silently with Daphne for several minutes before she told him the students were going to be sent home, and that they were talking about not reopening the school for second term. Hermione and the gang here all in Gryffindor Tower at the moment. The tower was also heavily guarded.

Madam Bones and Arthur Weasley walked over to his bed. Madam Bones was about to say something when out of no where, a does patronus appeared. It spoke in the voice of Severus Snape.

"_The Dark Lord is aware, Potter. He is currently looking for the ring. When he sees it's gone, he will try to retrieve the diadem from the school. He is gathering his army. It will take at least three hours to get them ready, but prepare the defenses as quickly as though you don't." _the patronus said before fading away.

"W-was that… was that the voice of Severus Snape?" Madam Bone asked.

"Yes." Harry answered, a new determined look taking over his facial features as he stood quickly from the bed and put on his boots.

"I have no time to explain now, but what happened this morning was all part of Dumbledore's plan. He knew Voldemort would be less likely to attack if he were still alive. It was also to tie up some loose ends so Voldemort would have no chance of getting his hands on any of Dumbledore's possessions."

He thought about the Elder Wand that was still in his pocket. It no longer held it's immense power since it's last master died voluntarily. It was now just a regular, albeit more powerful than average, wand.

"Mr. Potter will you please explain that is going on!" Minister Bones shouted at Harry's retreating back.

He stopped and turned to face her.

"There is no time. You heard Snape! He's coming, and I have alert the Yanks!" Harry shouted at her. "You go and gather all the Aurors you can to lend support to the Americans."

When she didn't move he shouted in a frighteningly commanding voice that no one had ever heard from him. "NOW!"

9:01am, Hogsmeade Village.

The villagers of Hogsmeade were busy repairing all the broken windows and other various glass objects that had broken by a loud explosion that very morning. Many had been startled out of their beds and onto the floor by the deafening blast. The had learned soon afterward, that Albus Dumbledore had been murdered by Death Eaters inside Hogwarts itself.

The villagers went about their work somberly as they wondered what would happen next. Many were stopped in mid task when they read a distant rumbling and felt the ground tremble beneath their feet.

Many began to panic as they thought they were about to be attacked by Death Eaters, but they were stopped by a most unusual sound. A bugle call rang out from the outskirts of town. Villagers poured out onto High Street to see what on earth was happening.

Suddenly, no less than two hundred men on horse back rode down the street toward the gates of Hogwarts at a full gallop. The bugle sounded again and the men let out a shout. Just as quickly as they had appeared, the men in blue vanished up the road, though they could all still hear the rumbling of hooves.

The villagers all looked at each other in confusion as they began to speculate amongst themselves. They wondered what the strange banners they carried represented. It seemed only the muggle born residence knew the striped tricolor flags. The Americans from Texas were here? In Scotland? Impossible, many thought. Another, rumbling was once again coming from the direction the horsemen first appeared. Only this rumbling somehow felt much heavier.

Just as the horsemen appeared before, hundreds more appeared, only their horses were hitched to wagons that towed large black or bronze tubes each carried by six horse teams. It seemed like there were hundreds, but the more attentive residents counted some fifty four wheeled tubes. Once again a muggle born shouted out that they were cannons. Whatever those were. An explanation was shouted as soon as the 'cannons' had been carried past. They were weapons of war.

The villagers scurried around town, visiting with friends and continuing to speculate on why the Americans had brought weapons of war to Scotland, and why they were headed to Hogwarts.

They excitedly spoke of what was going on until they once again heard a noise approaching the town half an hour after the cannons had passed. It sounded like drums and flutes. The music was getting louder and louder as it got closer. A few residents whom had stationed themselves on the edge of town facing where the horsemen and cannons had come from shouted that they saw men wearing wide brimmed black hats with the left sides pinned up, approaching on foot.

The men were marching under the same banner as the horsemen, only they were much bigger flags gently flapping in the light breeze, and they had large dark blue banners with eagles of various designs on them. Some had stars arched over the eagles, others didn't.

The residents came out onto the street once again to see men in large light blue coats over darker blue jackets underneath, and black hats marching under the American banner. None of the villagers knew the quick paced tune they were marching to was called "Hell On The Wabash".

The men carried strange staffs up against their left shoulders. The staffs appeared to have blades at the ends. The men were marching proudly toward the gates of Hogwarts. Each group of men (of which the villagers counted five so far) had their own flags and bands playing the same tune, to which every man seemed to be in perfect step. They were lead by an imposing looking man, which most villagers guessed was their commander. He had three other horsemen with him, once of which was carrying a small dark blue banner with a large simple white, three leaf shamrock.

When the five, what the muggle born were calling "regiments" passed, the villagers began rushing around making preparations to get to safety. Many began throwing possessions into trunks and shrinking them while others decided to prepare their cellars to take refuge.

They had just begun when they heard more music coming into town. This time the people saw men in the same type of blue uniforms, only instead of wearing black hats, they wore smaller hats that looked as though they'd been sat on at some point. They marched under green banners and the American flag.

Even the non muggle born could recognize the tune they were marching to. Their whistles and squeeze-boxes were playing an old Irish song "Believe Me, If All Those Endearing Young Charms". The Brits could easily recognize their emerald green flags as representing the Irish with; the shamrocks and golden Harp of Erin underneath rays of sunlight emanating from the cloud above it. Each and every man had a sprig of boxwood in the bands of their hats. The fact that each flag said "Regiment of the Irish Brigade" after a numbered designation was a dead give away to even the stupidest people.

Most of the Officers were on horseback, leading their men forward. Once the five Irish regiments passed, the villagers, as one, looked down the road expecting to see more. They were proven right when five more regiments were lead to the tune of "Old 1812". these soldiers looked much younger than the others. By the time the last Americans marched through their town, they had been at it for an hour.

Many towns people were expecting to see more, but only Aurors appeared and ordered the people to take refuge. A battle was imminent and the Americans were defending the school from You-Know-Who! When many of the former Gryffindors stepped up and volunteered to join the fight, they were refused, but were instead deputized by the Rufus Scrimgeour to aid in defending the town.

The people wasted no time in preparing.

10:39am. Hogwarts.

Harry, and Daphne stood dressed in full battle garb, at the top of the Astronomy Tower gazing down at the defenses the Americans had just finished preparing. The Iron Brigade was stationed in a line of breastworks and artillery emplacements in front of the stone circle. The Line extended from the lake, in front of the Stone Circle, toward the large courtyard where Harry remembered taking his first flying lesson. The brigade had two regiments stationed on the walls of the courtyard, and fifteen cannons. The line in front of the stone circle had three regiments of the Iron Brigade and another fifteen cannons.

Caldwell's Brigade had three regiments stationed in the large courtyard in reserve, with two more on the walls around the greenhouses. Four cannons defended the greenhouse walls. The Irish Brigade was positioned behind the Iron brigade between the circle and courtyard walls. They were not manning defenses, but were there to counterattack when the opportunity presented itself.

Aurors were stationed at every entrance leading from the Black lake along with one cannon each loaded with canister shot. The artillery on the walls had two hundred shots each of aerial burst (shrapnel) shot designed to explode over the heads of the attackers, and canister shot for close range defense.

The stairway leading from the boathouse had two cannons positioned at the top landing leading into the courtyard outside the Great Hall. The Quidditch Pitch would be sadly sacrificed in this battle. Aurors were also stationed in each hallway behind barricades. Aurors also took up positions in the Clock Tower Courtyard (with a battery of 6 cannons) and the Transfiguration Courtyard.

All of the Castle's walls had been prepared over the last two months with anti-apparation runes. They were much harder to break through than the perimeter wards of the grounds. It was made even more difficult by the fact that the walls were defended by men with rifles and big cannons.

Harry almost felt sorry for the poor sods Riddle had hired to storm the castle… Almost.

The entire castle went quiet as a distant whooshing sound was heard. A loud groaning sound was heard immediately after. Everyone knew it was the wards trying to resist the onslaught of Voldemort' forces. The American commanders below began barking orders, sending their men running to man their positions.

Aurors, and American sharpshooters rushed into the Astronomy Tower and took up their posts on the parapets to defend from any attacks on brooms, and provide sniper support to the men below.

The wards began to groan louder as Voldemort's forces intensified their attack. Dumbledore along with the rest of the staff had reinforced the wards as much as they could over the last few months. Harry thought if not for those efforts, the wards might have already fallen.

After fifteen minutes the wards began to glow a fiery orange as they began to weaken, but they did not give way yet. Harry turned to Daphne, who gazed right back and said.

"I love you."

Daphne had tears in her eyes as she lunged at him. She kissed him passionately for several moments before back away slightly, still holding his hands.

"I love you. Come back to me alive." she said, her voice trembling. "We still have to build a life and family together. If you die on me, I'll just have to chase you into the afterlife and bring you back, so I can kick your skinny arse."

They both let out a watery chuckle.

Suddenly, with a thunderous crack and flash of light, the wards fell. Harry turned and looked toward the front entrance. He saw a huge mass of people pouring through the Gate and over the outer most walls, charging the defenses in front of the Stone Circle. They would all have to cross at least four hundred yards of hell before they could reach the line. He looked over toward the large courtyard and green houses and saw the same thing pouring from the Forbidden Forrest, only they had to cross eight hundred yards of open ground before they reached the defenses. Harry could hear the American commanders to aim their rifles. With regimental and national colors flying proudly in the breeze the American rifles, 3inchers and 12 pound Napoleons let loose deafening blasts as they unleashed hell upon Voldemort's first wave.

The Battle had begun.

X x x x x x x x x x x x x

A/N: There we go. As to the layout of the defenses and the castle, I went by what I remembered from the movies, but more off of what I remember from my countless hours of wandering Hogwarts in the Half Blood Prince PC Game. I more or less used a mix of the PC game and the first two movies.


	40. Faugh a Ballagh!

Chapter Thirty Nine- Faugh a Ballagh!

Harry stood at his position atop the Astronomy Tower, watching the scene below with morbid fascination. While trench warfare had been around as long as armies had, it wasn't until the American Civil War that it had been used in large scale to devastating effect. It was when advances in weaponry capabilities and firepower, out paced advances in mobility.

Harry had learned a lot from Generals Meagher and Meredith about the history of modern war. The war their two legendary units fought, was really the very first modern war. Before, during and occasionally after, armies would fight face to face. Each firing away at the other until one side broke and fled. The war had illustrated how out dated these tactics had become with the advent of the rifled musket, and rifled cannon. The cannons themselves could pound away at an attacking force from a mile out.

Their effectiveness of this was shown in the ill fated "Pickett's Charge", where between twelve and fifteen thousand Confederates attacked a strongly defended Union line. Over half those men were killed, wounded or captured by Federal forces, while the Union Army of the Potomac, lost only fifteen hundred. But Cold Harbor was the battle that proved the effectiveness of trenches. Over twelve thousand Union troops were killed or wounded when the Federals attacked Confederate trenches on two fronts. No advantage was ever gained by the loss of so many men.

He was witnessing just such carnage below him, albeit on a much smaller scale. The American scouts had returned with most unwelcome news. Voldemort's forces were larger than first anticipated. Instead of only twelve thousand, the scouts estimated the total combined force waiting to attack was over twenty thousand.

Down below, the second attack was beginning to wane in the face of tremendous American fire. The ground in front of the earthworks was already littered with the dead and wounded.

Voldemort was furious. He had been caught off guard, and he hated being so. He never expected to see the banners of another nation within the walls of Hogwarts. His first attack was repulsed and was reforming to prepare a second. Truth be told, he hadn't made any sort of battle plan, other than swarm the school and kill anyone not a pure-blood.

From his position in the Shrieking Shack, he could see his mercenaries attack, and repulsed once more. They seemed to be losing a man for every yard of ground they covered. He looked over toward his left side of the battle field. He could see his own artillery positioning itself in order to bombard the old castle's walls. Fortunately for him, his servants managed to muster another eight thousand mercenaries, bringing his force to twenty thousand strong.

"_Yes." _he thought to himself. _"With that old fool dead, it's only a matter of time before these Americans break and run. Then victory will be mine."_

"Wormtail!" he shouted.

The sniveling little rat approached quivering in fright.

"What news have you about the tunnels into the school?" he asked menacingly.

"Th-they've all been caved in and h-heavily warded M-master." Pettigrew replied.

Voldemort closed his eyes in displeasure as he popped his neck in an effort to relieve the tension that had been building since he discovered that Dumbledore had been destroying his Horcruxes. To make matters worse, Severus Snape showed his true colors and disappeared after he had summoned the mercenaries.

"_He will pay for his betrayal." _Riddle thought viciously. _"I will make him suffer for this. I will have some fun breaking Severus Snape, piece by piece."_

He exhaled deeply as he looked back out onto the battle field.

Behind the breastworks, the Americans were taking casualties as well, though not nearly as many. The Iron Brigade has thus far been the most heavily pressured, but the 6th and 7th Wisconsin doggedly held their ground in the face of such strong attacks.

The third attack was much more ferocious than the previous two. Over a three hundred mercenaries reached the breastworks, and fierce hand to hand combat ensued. Left and right men were being skewered by the bayonet, or falling to point blank musket fire. Still, the Brigade held.

One young Captain of the 6th Wisconsin by the name Adrian Rufus Dawes, watched as a mercenary, whom had been about to kill him, had his head smashed like an over ripe melon with the butt of a rifle which had been swung like a baseball bat. He raised his service revolver and fired, almost as reflex, right into the face of a merk that had been climbing the breastworks in front of him.

He heard the blood curdling screams of men on both sides as they were run through by the knife, sword or bayonet. It felt like his body was operating on it's own. As if he were looking through some one else's eyes as he scanned the area around him. Seemingly of it's own accord, his arm raised his saber over his head to strike down a merk who was repeatedly stabbing one of his men in the gut. He felt uncontrolled fury as his ears heard the shrieking of his soldier with each stab. He herd a ferocious scream that sounded like his own as he watched his saber come down in a deadly arc onto the back of the merk's neck, removing his head from his body.

The sound of the battle seemed oddly muffled to his ears. He looked upon the scene with revulsion. Men were laying everywhere, dead or dying. The Iron Brigade was known to be the only unit in the American Military, other than Muggle MPs and Honor Guards to wear white gaiters over their boots for anything other than ceremony. Those gaiters were now all stained with dirt and blood that even their standard repelling charms could not over come. None of them wore their heavy light blue winter coats in order to enhance mobility, and reduce sweating during the hard fighting which, in this weather, could lead to hypothermia. Every man had cast long lasting low powered warming charms on their standard dark blue coats and trousers. The Irish Brigade elected to keep their light blue winter coats as they would be stationary until called forward.

At least thirty more merks were climbing over the top of the breastworks and Dawes raised his revolver to meet them, when he was pushed down to the ground by one of his Lieutenants. Still looking at the breastworks, he heard a the thunderous crack of a volley of rifles (from a small group of reserves) before seeing all thirty or so merks fall to the ground after small explosions from the enchanted musket balls caused them to lose various body parts. Most died from blood loss and shock, while other luckier ones were killed instantly when either their heads or chests exploded. Once the attack was forced back the men of the 6th and 7th began tending to the wounded, with the help of Ministry Medi-wizards and Aurors to move the bodies and reinforce or repair the breastworks. Bodies lay in heaps and upon the earthworks the brave mid westerners were holding.

Looking down from the tower, Ministry witches and wizards couldn't help but admire their American allies for their bravery and stubbornness in the face of adversity. They would soon see what their American Irish protectors were made of when an enemy cannon ball exploded into the outer wall of the courtyard. This was fallowed quickly by several more into the face of the breastworks and through several classroom windows.

Harry could see several Americans had been wounded by the barrage of cannon fire coming from a ridge at the edge of the Forbidden Forrest some eight hundred yards out. The Americans took cover as more and more shrapnel rained down, killing or injuring several more. The fire seemed to be concentrated on the courtyard walls, upon which, the American cannons were desperately letting loose counter battery fire. They were at a hug disadvantage though, as most of their guns had to be used in repelling ground attacks. As such, only five of the fifteen guns on the wall were available for the counter fire. One gun emplacement had already been knocked out.

Daphne looked down at the battle with a worried frown on her face, as did Hermione and Neville. Astoria, Ginny and Luna were in the Hospital Wing helping to tend to the wounded, much to the red headed girl's displeasure. Mrs. Potter heard the faint shout of General Hancock as he cried out an order to the awaiting Irish. The brigade waited until there was a lull in the fighting to move over the breastworks and double-time the eight hundred yards to the enemy artillery emplacements.

General Hancock stood next to one of the monolithic stones behind the defenses, looking through his glasses. As soon as the latest attack was repulsed, he turned to the awaiting Irishmen to his right and shouted. "Come on boys! Show 'em the cold steel! Destroy the enemy batteries! Irish Brigade.. Move out!"

"Irish Brigade!" Meagher shouted to his men, "At the double quick! Forward… March!"

As one the Sons of Erin climbed over the earthen defenses.

"Triple column boys! Form up!" Meagher ordered. The 69th New York took the center with the 63rd to their right and the 118th Pennsylvania to the right of them. The 88th New York was immediately to the 69th's left with the 23rd Massachusetts to the left of them.

Two enemy shells exploded of their heads, killing five and wounding another dozen. Drawing his saber as his men quickly got into their line of battle, Meagher shouted "Forward!"

As one the Brigade moved forward at the double-quick. Artillery shells and shrapnel were falling upon them every step of the way. As they reached six-hundred feet in front of the enemy cannons, rifle fire began dropping men left and right.

"Steady men! Steady!" Meagher shouted. "Keep those lines dressed!"

Looking to his left and right, he could see his boys falling with pained shouts or yelps. He wasn't sure exactly how many men he'd lost so far, he just hoped they didn't break before reaching their objective.

"Do your duty!" He shouted encouragement.

"Come on sixty-ninth! Keep moving!" yelled the regiment's commanding officer, Colonel Patrick Kelly.

A moment later, Meagher heard an "Oomph!" next to him. He glanced over to see Colonel Kelly was no longer beside him.

Just below the top of the low ridge where the mercenary artillery was positioned, were three regiments behind a waist high palisade of boards, logs and dirt. One of these regiments had two companies that were, unfortunately made up of mostly Irishmen whom had jumped at the chance to invade Great Britain. As these mercenary Irishmen continued to fire upon the Irish Brigade, one of them shouted in anguish as they recognized the green flags, "God they're Irish!"

Mercenary Captain Doyle looked to his battalion commander, Major Daly and said,

"That's the Irish. What are those boys doing fighting for the crown? For the very people who brought us so much suffering. Have they learned nothing at all from at the hands of our English oppressors?"

Major Daly responded, "These brave Irishmen….They're our brothers, but they've been mislead to their fates."

Accepting it, Doyle continued to fire his revolver. None of the mercenaries knew exactly for whom they were fighting for, only that they paid very well, and they promised conquest and power beyond imagination.

The Irish Brigade was drawing closer and closer to the palisades, taking casualties seemingly with each step they took. Finally, Meagher brought them to a halt twenty yards in front of the mercenary line. So far the brigade had lost over six hundred men, dead or wounded) out of three thousand-five hundred.

"Battalion! Halt!" he shouted as he took his position behind the all of men.

"Ready!" he ordered, "Aim!"

The men of the brigade brought their muskets to bear.

"Fire!"

The volley was devastating to the mercenaries holding the position. Dozens and dozens fell dead or mortally wounded in an instant as their heads or chests burst open or arms and legs were removed because of the magically charged musket balls and buckshot.

"Load 'em up boys, load 'em up!" Meagher shouted running back and forth behind them as his men continued to fall. "Ready! Aim! Fire!"

A second volley tore into the mercenary line and several turned and ran. More made a break for it when Meagher shouted, "Charge!"

With an enormous surge, the remaining men of the Irish Brigade rushed forward and over the palisades. The mercenaries found them selves fighting hand to hand, and they were now the ones taking horrific casualties. In the center of the melee, it was Irishmen against Irishmen. Each calling the other "traitor" as they swung, jabbed, slashed and shot at each other.

After several minutes of fighting, the mercenary line broke and ran, allowing the Irish Brigade to rush the cannons. Several artillery crews fired their cannons into the brigade at point blank range, killing or wounding dozens more, before they too were cut down by said brigade's muskets.

Taking up defensive positions incase of counter attack, the men stuffed the barrels with as much gun powder as they could fit before conjuring steel plugs that were then welded magically to the muzzles. Fuses were set and the brigade took cover back in front of the palisade they'd just crossed. With deafening blasts, all thirty cannons were destroyed.

As the brigade rose up, they once again came under fire from counter attacking merks (including the remaining hundred and thirty or so Irish mercenaries). The brigade stood and exchanged withering fire for several minutes before Meagher gave the order to retreat.

"Fall back! Fall back men! Now! Move!"

"Go to hell!" Captain Doyle cried out with sorrow from his unit's re-established position at the battered palisade. "Go to hell and damnation!"

Over come with emotion, Doyle dropped his pistol and wept.

Meagher had lead his men to a shallow natural drainage ditch hundred yards in front of the batteries they had just destroyed when he saw at least three fresh mercenary regiments blocking his path.

"Lie down here!" he said, ordering his men to take cover in the ditch. 'Lie down and load!"

He knew they were in serious trouble. The brigade had enemies in front of and now behind them. The boys were firing in both directions, desperately trying to hold. Desperately fighting for their lives, while they staked their lives on a ditch two and a half feet deep and five yards wide.

"Lie down and load! Load!" Meagher shouted almost in desperation. "Quickly! Blaze away and stand to it boys! Fire boys! Fire!"

The men were causing heavy casualties to the merks in front of the destroyed guns, but were suffering the same themselves having to fire to their front and rear.

General Hancock wasn't about to let his best brigade be annihilated. He turned to General Caldwell and said, "1st Texas Cavalry and 5th New Hampshire forward now! Get the Irish Brigade out of there!"

The 1st Texas lead the charged forward to meet the enemy counter attack which had trapped the Irish boys on the rise. All two hundred and fifty horsemen fired their "Trapdoor" Springfield carbines into the enemy counter attack, killing and wounding at least a hundred, before drawing their sabers and charging in at a full gallop.

Dozens of them, however, were cut down or had their horses shot out from under them as the merks returned fire. It didn't last long as the rest of the cavalry slammed into their ranks. Left and right merks were being sliced to bits by the Texans, but the Texans were dying as well.

Only one hundred and three made it out of the melee and out the other side of the merk formation. Second Lieutenant O'Riley was the most senior officer to survive. Taking stock of the situation, he could see there was no chance he and his men could make it through the merk lines alive, so he turned his remaining troopers to take cover with the Irish boys.

Reaching the drainage ditch, the ninety one cavalrymen laid their horses on their sides and took cover behind their steeds. O'Riley joined up with Meagher to coordinate their defense. O'Riley admired Meagher's bravery as he watched the older man on a knee encouraging his men to keep firing.

It was at this point when the 5th New Hampshire opened fire unto the ranks of the merks trapping the 1st Texas, and the Irish Brigade. They too stood for several minutes, exchanging fire, keeping the enemy occupied before they charged head long into what had not been reduced from an attack to a disorganized mob. Any hope that the merks would break quickly were dashed as they held their loose formation into a melee.

The Texans and Irish were doing what they could in lending supporting fire from their position, but within ten minutes, both the 5th and mercenaries broke and ran. The 5th having suffered 80% casualties before running back toward the walls. That was over four-hundred and eighty out of six-hundred.

"Fall back lads!" Meagher shouted seeing his chance to save his brigade and the Texans, "Fall back! Back to the castle! Every man for himself!"

Meagher ordered his men and the Texans to fall back to the castle's defenses. O'Riley and his boys rose with the Brigade when the order came. The remaining seventeen-hundred or so of the Irish Brigade and seventy-eight Texans turned and ran for the castle, taking musket fire the entire way.

The remaining Irish mercenaries on the ridge, though they suffered horrendous casualties at the hands of the Irish Brigade, began to cheer the brigade's bravery, or perhaps for the stubbornness the Irish people were noted for. The field before them was littered with the dead and wounded. Though most of the wounded of the Irish Brigade were lucid enough to grab their emergency portkeys to their main camp a mile from Hogsmeade, where they had surgeons and healers waiting to treat them.

The same was so for the wounded of the 5th New Hampshire and 1st Texas and soon the only Americans on the field were the dead and mortally wounded that were unable to get to their port keys. A safety feature of these portkeys is that they were attuned to each individual man and became useless when the man died. Each also monitored the location of each man and their life signs. They could be deactivated if rescue was impossible and the man had only minutes to live anyway.

In all, seven-hundred and four men of the five Irish Brigade regiments, 1st Texas and 5th New Hampshire were dead or near death and unable to be rescued from the open field. The mercenaries were not as fortunate. All five thousand wounded were left to themselves on the field to die of their wounds, or try to crawl back to their own lines. By noon there was a lull in the fighting, and over six thousand mercenaries littered the field, while Hancock's division had lost over twenty six-hundred casualties in total. Nearly a quarter of their total strength.

Harry and Neville walked through the Great Hall, amongst the wounded and dead. There were few moans of pain, as they'd been given the proper potions. Many whom had lost limbs would be able to have them reattached. Others weren't so lucky. Harry had enlisted Dobby to aid the wounded and make them as comfortable as possible.

Looking over at his best friend, he saw Neville was pale, and slightly green from the sight. He was about to speak when Voldemort's voice rang out over the grounds sending the Americans running for their positions once again. Even some of the badly wounded tried to heave themselves to their feet with their muskets to rejoin the fight. Some of them managed it. Mostly those whom had lost an eye or suffered a blow to the head.

"Defenders of Hogwarts." Riddle's voice bellowed. "You have fought bravely. You are to be commended. I make you all an offer. Hand over Harry Potter within the hour, and I shall spare your lives. Fail to do so, and I shall personally enter the battle."

Harry's face became fierce as he turned and walked swiftly to the front of the school, Neville hot on his heels. Crossing the wooden bridge he nearly made it to the breast works when General Meagher grabbed him and said,

"No, no, no me boy. You let him come. We'll take care of his men, you only worry about him when he comes."

Harry stared at Meagher for several moments before acquiescing. Turning back toward the entrance, he saw Daphne running full tilt to get to him, with Hermione chasing after her.

"What do you think you're doing Harry James Potter?!" Daphne yelled at him when she stopped in front of him.

"Nothing." he said looking down at his boots.

"You were going out there by yourself!" She exclaimed. She grabbed him roughly "You're not doing this alone."

Looking over to his left, he saw General Hancock with Meagher and Meredith standing there looking to him to see what to do next. Harry gave them a nod before drawing his wand and bringing it to his throat.

"Sonorous." he cast. "TOM RIDDLE! COME AND GET ME!"

The men all round Hogwarts let out a loud cheer, each unique to their own ancestry. Harry lead his group back inside as the Americans readied themselves for an overwhelming attack, ready to fall back into hand to hand and wand combat.

Riddle was seething hen he heard Potter's reply. He rushed out to lead his forces in one final attack.

"ATTACK!" he shouted with fury.

As one, the remaining mercenaries and Death Eaters rushed forward into the awaiting American guns and rifles. The canister fire was devastating to the mass of bodies rushing the defenses. Rifles were firing furiously, dropping hundreds of enemies. The Irish Brigade had taken up a position with the Iron Brigade, and their proud emerald banners were flapping in the wind next to the dark blue banners of the mid westerners. Mobius flew overhead, using his war cry to encourage the brave defenders, while putting fear in the attacker's hearts.

Mercenaries and death eaters poured over the defenses, and into deadly point blank fire and hand to hand combat. The Americans dropped their muskets and drew their wands, taking on their enemies in one on one combat. Harry and company were in the large courtyard firing into the attackers as they broke through the parapets built in front of the openings of the walls.

Harry was letting loose powerful blasting curses that sent dozens at a time flying into the air. Behind the merks, he spied inferi staggering toward the front entrance. Putting his wand away, he called up his staff and conjured an enormous wall of fire that turned the reanimated dead into ashes.

Stabbing his staff into the ground, he caused the ground to surge and turn to lava, swallowing up merks and death eaters alike. Suddenly from a distance, Harry could hear bagpipes blaring. Looking toward the destroyed gate he could see several hundred men in red jackets and kilts charging up toward the fight. It was the Queen's Royal Scots Regiment of Foot with elements of the Queen's 2nd Regiment of Foot. The Royal Scots were unmistakable with their badges on their pip helmets and the 2nd with the Paschal Lamb on theirs.

The Queen's men fired a volley into the rear of the mercenaries with their unmodified Martini-Henrys before charging headlong into the melee. While the unmodified Martinis weren't as devastating as the American muskets because they were un-enhanced, they were still effective against the unprotected backs of the mercenaries and death eaters. Around him, he saw duels continuing, but also dozens and dozens of mercenaries trying to flee from the battle only to run head long into the Queen's men.

At the Clock Tower Courtyard, Death Eaters and merks alike rushed over the wooden bridge, but as soon as they entered the courtyard, they were cut down viciously by the six cannons stationed there. The stone pillars and walls of the courtyard had deep pits dug into them, several falling down upon the attackers.

Turning to his right, Harry saw Riddle cutting down Aurors and Americans alike.

"TOM!" he shouted getting Voldemort's attention. As soon as their eyes met, they let loose one each other.

Harry's first blasting curse was powerful enough to knock people off their feet and shatter windows when it impacted Riddle's shield. All around, the fighting had stopped to watch Harry Potter and Voldemort battle.

Voldemort fired killing curse after killing curse at Harry, who dodged and blocked each one with little effort. Harry was almost batting Riddle's spells and curses away carelessly. All around the Hogwarts defenders watched in awe. They had taken only a few casualties before the mercenaries turned and ran for their lives. Daphne had just killed or incapacitated several death eaters at once, while Hermione and Neville captured or killed half a dozen more.

Daphne spied a rat running toward the clock tower entrance, probably heading toward the Room of Requirement to retrieve Riddle's horcrux, that no longer existed. She gave chase all the way to the seventh floor. When she reached it, she found the door already there, so she crept in quietly. She could hear the concussions from her husband's battle outside as the door closed behind her.

Greyback had just ripped the throat out of one of the Queen's men in the Royal Scots, the last of many he had done so to. Neville had seen this and picked up one of the Martini rifles and charged Greyback who fired several killing curses at the Gryffindor who dodged each one expertly.

Nev dodged the last killing curse before swinging his rifle and stabbing Greyback's wand hand before spinning to his right and running the bayonet through the werewolf's chest and through his heart. Though the werewolf still did not die, he fell to his knees in pain when Neville pulled the bayonet out of his chest. Neville dropped the rifle and drew his father's silver-iron alloy sword. His father had once used it to battle werewolves when he was an Auror.

"This is for all the children you've infected you sick bastard!" Neville shouted before beheading his opponent.

Daphne crept through the large piles of crap that was in the room of lost things. She could hear Pettigrew frantically searching through the junk. He sounded panicked as he kept failing to find the diadem. She saw movement out of the corner of her eye and dodged a strike from Nagini at the last moment.

She had fallen to the ground and was sitting up when she saw the large snake rear up again. On impulse, she drew the Sward of Gryffindor and held it straight out in front of her allowing Nagini to impale herself before Daphne gave the sword a mighty heave upward, slicing the snake in two straight up her body and through her head.

The last horcrux was gone. She quickly sent off a patronus message to Harry before she was hit in the side with a piercing curse. Her world exploded in pain as blood poured from her wound.

As Harry and Voldemort battled, Daphne's doe patronus appeared and in her voice, she proclaimed that Nagini was dead. Harry turned to Riddle and taunted him. Telling him that all of his Horcruxes were gone, that he was mortal again.

Furious, Voldemort shot a black spell, the same spell he used against Daphne in the Ministry Atrium. Harry deflected the curse skyward where it exploded violently. Charging forward Harry closed the distance, firing deadly curses the entire way.

Riddle was having a hard time deflecting them all. He tried to get away, but the runes on all the walls prevented him from doing so. All around him, the Americans, British soldiers and even Aurors had their muskets, rifles and wands trained on his head as he fell back step by step under Harry's onslaught. It was only a matter of time now.

Daphne was in incredible pain. She lay there gasping for breath, holding her side while trying to stem the flow of blood. Wormtail stood over her and smiled before he knelt down beside her, bringing his filthy face close to her.

"It's been a long time since I've been with a woman." he said as he trailed a dirty finger nail down her cheek. "and here you are, helpless and weak. I suppose I could put you to use before you die."

"Like hell you will." she said stabbing her dagger, hidden in her sleeve, into the side of his neck before pulling it forward, cutting all the major arteries and his windpipe. Wormtail let out a hideous gurgle as he grasped at his destroyed neck. Blood was pouring out of him rapidly as he grew more and more pale. Falling to the ground, holding his throat, his life force bled out of him. His hand reached out to her as though he were pleading for help which never came before his eyes dulled and he passed on to the next world to be judged.

Daphne lay there for a moment, before painfully pulling herself up onto her left elbow. She began dragging herself, moving as little as possible, over to a broken chair where she could get some leverage to stand.

Painfully, she managed it after a few moments. She staggered out of the room and called for Dobby to help her. The little elf was hysterical but popped her to the healers as quickly as he could to get medical care in the Great Hall.

Voldemort tried desperately to engulf Harry in a torrent of fiendfyre, which like Daphne, Harry turned back upon old Moldyshorts. Harry levitated a large boulder on the grounds and tried to crush Riddle beneath it, but Riddle turned it into dust.

Harry used a familiar technique to drain Riddle of his magical reserves. He connected Riddle's wand with the head of his staff. This time when Riddle tried to break the connection, Harry used his immense power to hold him in place. Fear could be seen in Voldemort's eyes as he felt his magic draining at an alarming rate. He tried desperately to let go of his wand, but couldn't. After several minutes, Harry released him and fired curse after curse at the very much weakened Dark Lord.

Finally, one of Harry's piercing spells punched through Voldemort's shield and impacted the dark wizard's leg bringing him to his knees. Harry was on him in an instant, using his staff to destroy Riddle's yew wand. Breathing heavily, Riddle looked up at Harry with contempt, but said nothing as Harry drew Excalibur from it's hilt. Mobius flamed in overhead and landed on Harry's shoulder, giving his master a much needed boost.

All around him, Riddle saw the thousands of Hogwarts defenders standing in a wide circle, flags though tattered, were still flying proudly and muskets along with wands aimed at him. He knew he was done for , but in one final desperate act, he used his magical arm to try to stab Harry through his abdomen, only to lose it when an American fired his rifle at Riddle's shoulder. Wasting no more time, Harry raised Excalibur over his head, and brought it down on Riddle, cleaving his head in two. The body of the most dangerous dark wizard since his last life fell lifelessly to the ground.

Silence reigned for several seconds before all present began to cheer. It was over. He was free.

A/N: The charge of the Irish Brigade was inspired by their brave charge on Marye's Heights during the battle of Fredericksburg. Only this time, they achieved their objective because they weren't below half strength.

The brigade was the weakest unit to make the charge out of 14 tries that day, and still did about as well as the rest before they were pushed back. Out of 1,200 men to make the charge, only 287 were able to answer the call to muster under the flag the next morning.

I myself have Irish in my family six generations ago. He fought in the Saint Patrick's Battalion during the Mexican American War on the Mexican side. They are heroes in Mexico and martyrs for freedom in Ireland. Erin Go Bragh! It's Irish, for "You're Fucked!"


	41. Epilogue  Eleven Years Later

Epilogue - Eleven Years Later.

Professor Harry Potter walked down Diagon Alley, hand in hand with his eleven year old daughter Astoria Lily Potter, toward an Apothecary which had opened up about three years ago. His wife Daphne trailed behind them, herding their three other children forward. The twins, James and Sirius, were a handful on the best of days while their youngest daughter was quiet and crafty.

Their oldest took after her namesake in almost every way, except she looked like her mother would have had Daphne been blessed with raven hair. James Samuel and Sirius Eugene looked like miniature versions of their father, except they didn't need glasses. Their youngest, Arianna Gabrielle "Gabby" Potter, was the spitting image of her mother, but had Harry's green eyes. Both parents could easily see Slytherin House in their daughter's future. She would often pull huge pranks and get away with them while pinning it entirely on the boys every single time.

They were shopping for Tori's school supplies today as she was due to start her first year at Hogwarts in two weeks time. Their daughter had been quite a surprise for them all. As it turned out, Daphne had been nearly three months pregnant at the time of his final confrontation with Riddle. With all the stress and activity of the period, she hadn't even noticed she'd missed her cycle. Harry'd been very worried when Dobby had come to retrieve him as the rest at Hogwarts celebrated the victory and mourned their lost comrades.

The healers were able to fix all the damage Pettigrew had done. Fortunately, her dragonhide battle-corset (that Harry absolutely loved) stopped most of the spell. It's likely that had she been unprotected, she would have been, at the very least, paralyzed from the mid-abdomen down. Afterward, Harry retrieved Pettigrew's body and transfigured it into a rat before visiting the London Zoo and tossing his remains into the lion enclosure.

It was difficult to finish their last year with an infant, but their faithful elf Dobby had been a Godsend. Mobius had been quite taken with little Tori, and spent as much time singing to her while she slept in her crib as he spent with Harry. Even to this day, Mobius could be found on Tori's shoulder as much as Harry's. Their boys were nine years old, following their sister into the world two years later, while Anna was seven.

Harry could hear his wife behind them lightly scolding the boys over something they were vehemently denying. Harry smirked lightly as he thought that their sister might have been the real culprit of whatever had happened. He smiled as he thought of what it would be like once all four children were in school. Daphne was potions mistress and Head of Slytherin House, while Harry taught defense and was Head of Gryffindor, as well as Deputy Headmaster under Headmistress McGonagall. Professor Flitwick had eagerly turned the responsibility over to him as soon as Harry finished his first year of teaching before he retired to work on his personal research as well as his tan.

Luna Weasley née Lovegood took Flitwick's place as head of Ravenclaw House and Charms Professor, to the surprise of many. It was not as surprising as the day she'd brought Ronald Weasley over to a family dinner at the Doghouse as her "date". She said that she felt it was the right time to reconcile, and that Ron had grown up enough by then to realized what he'd done wrong. While they would never again be best friends, Harry and Ron did share a somewhat close friendship again. They had a nine year old strawberry blond daughter named Jennifer "Jenny" Molly Weasley, and a redheaded seven year old son Hugo. Jenny had her mother's dreamy stare and mysticism but her father's fiery passion when provoked while Hugo was just as awkward and goofy as Ron. Fortunately, he inherited his mother's intelligence and "outside the box" thinking. Ron was Keeper for the, still dead last, Chudley Cannons, though with his keeping ability they did tend to make a much better showing of it, even if their chasers and beaters were complete rubbish.

Ginny was in her eighth season with the Holyhead Harpies. She'd married Colin two years after her graduation, much to the delight of Fred, George, Astoria and Daphne. While Mrs. Weasley wanted Ginny to retire so that she could give her another set of grandchildren, Ginny was determined to play ten seasons (for she was drafted almost right out of Hogwarts) and win one World Cup before doing so. It was a common topic around the dinner table at the Burrow between Ginny and Molly that always had everyone else laughing while the two redheaded women were usually red faced, Ginny from embarrassment and Molly with irritation.

Astoria (the elder) was also a Creevy and was expecting their first child sometime in October. Dennis and Astoria opened Diagon Alley's very first Magical Comicbook/Sci-fi shop right next to Weasley Wizard Wheezies. It was a huge hit in the Wizarding World. Dennis had been working with the major publications of the world to create magical comics with moving illustrations, and even sound effects in certain editions.

Astoria, with Harry's invaluable help had worked out how to use runes to tune magic to the correct frequency of 50 or 60Hz and varying voltage using adapter runes to get muggle electronics to run, making DVDs viewable in wizarding homes. Shielding VHS tapes, and computer hard drives was still problematic as they stored data magnetically, but Tori was still working on it. Dennis and Tori were rolling in the galleons after they co-patented the rune sets with Harry and opened up shops in several countries.

Harry had done a lot of research on runes to help Tori, mostly from Myrddin's journals and scrolls as well as all of Flamel's and Dumbledore's. With knowledge from all three legendary wizards at his disposal, almost anything was possible for Harry. It was what Riddle had always dreamed of but was never able to accomplish. Such was the path toward the dark.

Using Myrddin's works, Harry figured out a way to disperse magical residue from enhanced ammunition, allowing the US Magical Forces and the Queen's Magical Forces to use the M1 Garand or rifles of similar firing rate. Magical tanks and long range artillery (Howitzers) were now in service in both nations, though they were still limited to pre-1960's vintage and design. Though his work with Astoria had been ground breaking, certain types of electronics were still problematic. Tori hoped to have the Challenger II and M1A2 Abrams fully enhanced with magic and in service in 2010 by shielding their most delicate electronic systems.

The Queen had taken a more active role in ruling the Magical realm. She had ordered the arrest of all previously exonerated Death Eaters whom had survived the Battle of Hogwarts and had them tried for high treason and crimes against The Crown. When interrogated under Veritaserum, they were all found guilty and put to death. She allowed the American forces to handle the executions by firing squad or hanging.

Harry often thought of the brave men who gave their lives that day. The field they charged across was known as Meagher's Field while the knoll they attacked was simply Irish Knoll. At it's highest point, the Knoll had a large green marble Celtic Cross and bronze plaque with the names of the dead in honor of the Brigade. In front of the school's stone circle, there was a wrought iron pillar with the names of those in the Iron Brigade who also died that day. The circle was often called the "Iron Circle" by those whom had witnessed the battle. As it happens by sheer coincidence, the stones _did_ have a high concentration of iron in them which made a ringing clang when struck with another metallic object. The greenhouses were named "Caldwell Greenhouses 1 through 7" while the 1st Texas and the 5th New Hampshire shared a marble memorial at the site of their brave counter charge to rescue the Irish Brigade.

The only former Death Eater that was not tried, convicted and shot was Severus Snape. After Harry had personally vouched for him as Albus Dumbledore had done years ago, the Queen reluctantly allow Snape to go free with the condition that she would hold Lord Potter responsible should Snape really be a dark wizard.

The Queen had also ordered a purge of the current Wizengamot leaving only a select few known light wizards and witches in their hereditary seats. Those few became her "Protectors of the Magical Realm" with Sir Harry Potter as Lord of Magical England and Wales, Sir Sirius Black as Lord of Magical Northern Ireland, and Sir Neville Longbottom as Lord of Magical Scotland. With Harry and Neville as Professors at Hogwarts, nine months out of the year, Sirius would typically sit in as proxy for them when they were unavailable for meetings. They did leave their classes in capable substitute hands when their presence was mandatory. Also by the Queen's decree, Wizengamot seats would be filled by the elected, and have since been largely held by half bloods and muggleborn.

Neville had become the new Herbology Professor after Pamona Sprout retired three years ago. He and Hermione married a year after graduation and had two children; Rose age 6 and Harold "Harry" Frank Longbottom age 3. Hermione was the Professor of Transfiguration at Hogwarts and was already being called the next "McGonagall" with her no nonsense attitude. She also worked toward improving relations between Wizards and the other Magical beings in the magical world. Of course, Harry being who he is, relations between the Goblin Nation and the Wizarding World improved dramatically. They had known all along exactly who he was descendant from and of the prophecy that had foretold of return of Myrddin Emrys. He did have to use his formidable magical presence to cow the most ardent purists and their sympathizers into going along with the sweeping changes.

Harry still felt like he was talking about someone else rather than himself in another lifetime when he thought of his time as Myrddin. It was odd to think it was actually him, and still referred to his past self as "him" rather than "me" or "I". Though his past was a big part of him, he thought of himself as Harry Potter, not Harry Potter/Merlin reincarnate. Just plain old Harry.

Minister Amelia Black had just been reelected to her second term. The old hound dog had snagged himself a good woman who could also keep him in check… most of the time anyway. They had two sons; Regulus Remus Black age 6, and James Orion Black age 3.

Harry and Daphne hadn't aged much themselves. The both still looked to be younger than their 27 years of age, and most people they met in the Muggle world were surprised to find they had four children with another on the way. Daphne was still as beautiful and fit as ever, (at three months pregnant) while Harry kept in shape with pickup games of Quidditch and sparring with Neville.

He was broken from his musings when his daughter tugged on his hand, letting him know he was about to pass the Apothecary. He looked up at the sign that read: Prince Apothecary and Potions. He could hear Daphne telling her sons to behave themselves as Harry lead his eldest daughter through the front.

The bell above the door rang as it opened. He could see his daughter wide eyed at all the basic and exotic ingredients. She was already very talented at potions and had a penchant for charms as well. Their twins also had an affinity for potions as well as charms and transfiguration so they were looking at all the various sights in the shop with absolute glee (which their mother kept a close eye on). Their youngest however, looked at the more disturbing ingredients with disgust, preferring to stick with charms and runes, but still quite skilled in potions.

Severus Snape walked out from the back potions lab and pause when he'd seen who it was that had entered his shop. He spied their eldest daughter and seemed to glide like the over grown bat he is toward them. "Lord Potter." he said silkily. "What a... pleasure."

"Severus." Harry said in reply. "We're here to pick up ingredients for our daughter's first year at Hogwarts."

Severus looked down at the raven haired girl with skepticism before he said. "Tell me Miss Potter, what would I get if I added powered root of Asphodel to an infusion of Wormwood?"

Tori looked up at her mother for a second before answering. "Well, with the squeezed juice of thirteen Sopophorous beans; crushed snake fangs, Moondew, Valerian Roots, and Sloth Brain, it makes a very potent Draught of Living Death."

Severus Snape blinked for a second before firing another question at Tori. "Where would you find a Bezor?"

"In a goat's stomach or any competent Potioneer's kit. I've used up all my supplies though." she said with a beaming smile. Snape seemed to scowl as he was immediately reminded of her namesake. "What is the difference between monkshood and wolfbane?"

"They're the same plant sir." Tori answered.

"Powered moonstone and syrup of hellebore, Miss Potter, what potion uses both?" he asked.

"The Draught of Peace sir."

"When must fluxweed be picked in order to be useful in potion making?" the Potions Master asked.

"During the full moon sir." Tori answered correctly again.

"Well… Miss Potter, I can see your mother has taught you well." Severus Snape said as he glanced at Daphne. He then turned swiftly and retrieved a standard and advanced potions kits and a potions book written by himself for the young girl while Daphne picked out the standard pewter cauldron.

As he placed the parcels on the counter he paused and looked at Astoria with his hand atop the packages and said. "I hope to hear great things about you one day young Potioneer." before he took the galleons from Harry.

Picking up the parcels, Harry lead his family out of the shop. Standing out front Tori looked up at her mother and said with a shudder. "Mummy, I'm glad you're teaching potions at Hogwarts now. Snivellus is creepy. He's like a giant overgrown bat."

Suddenly there was a loud explosion from inside Snape's shop that caused everyone but Arianna (who stood there calmly) to jump. From inside the blue smoke filled shop a coughing Severus Snape yelled, "POTTERS!" just before the theme song from the 1960s Batman series began to play loudly from inside the store. Severus Snape stumbled out of his shop dressed in exactly the same type of costume Adam West wore on the show, only his greasy hair stuck out from the neck of his mask. He was livid.

"Oh crap! Run!" Harry shouted to his family. They wasted no time hightailing it down Diagon Alley with Severus Snape chasing after them foaming at the mouth, cape billowing behind him and music playing the entire way. Daphne was shouting her threats of punishment at her twin boys, who were denying everything but thought it was a brilliant prank. Harry thought Arianna looked awfully smug as he picked her up and ran. Hogwarts was in for it when she finally joined her siblings at school. He didn't envy Headmistress McGonagall, but looked forward to seeing the show.

Yeah, Harry could actually say, "All is well." if he was lame.

Things were as they should be in Harry's life. He had the happiness and love he had craved so badly as a child. The world was finally in balance and the light had conquered the darkness.

Fin.

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A/N: Oh and before I forget, If I had written of the battle Myrddin had fought with his army to defeat the Saxons (the same victory which won him his wife) it would have come off as a battle out of Gladiator. Any large battle using largely weapons other than wands will come off as non-Harry Potter. I wasn't going to just "oh they battled and battled for hours and hours falling left and right, things went boom here and there.. blah blah blah...".

It was also a way to ENSURE all the good canon characters stayed out of it and survived. Would be pretty hard to have them all in a battle like that and live. Like it or not, some of them WOULD have died, and I just didn't want to do that. By using the Americans, it allowed those men to take ALL the punishment expected in a large battle, while our favorite characters stayed safe and sound.

Also, that there was no canon magical army to speak of, it would have been hard to explain how a relative "handful" of witches and wizards could defeat a large attacking force and NOT take huge losses. I think it was still a stretch including the Royal Scots and the Queen's 2nd as they would have logically been at Hogwarts to face Voldemort in canon had they existed.

I still wanted to describe just how vicious the fighting would be, thereby highlight how lucky it was that Fred, George, Astoria, Ginny, Molly, Arthur, Bill, Charlie, Fleur, Sirius, and Percy stayed away.

I mean, I KNOW the tone changed there, but fighting any battle would have changed the relatively upbeat tone I had throughout most of my fic( It wasn't as dark as I'd hoped ). A good battle with wands on a grand scale is VERY hard to write, and it quickly turns into more of a list of incantations than a battle. That's why you RARELY, if ever see a big ending battle on this site that is solely wand based. I've noticed most authors stay away from writing battle scenes that include more than two wizards at a time. They always bring another type of weapon in to finish a big battle quickly. Even in the best of stories I've read here, It's only skimmed through the wand fight and focuses on the final moments. It would have been more like JK's battle had I done that.

Still, I'm not entirely happy with it, and I do plan on making changes in the revised version as new ideas come up. Thanks again to Msgt LewisC for sending me all the errors he could find. They will be corrected soon.

Hope you've enjoyed my tale of Harry Potter as it could have been.

Live Long and Prosper- Edward.


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